Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS

HOUSE BILLNO._2293

Introduced by:
Rep. Godofredo V. Arquiza

EXPLANATORY NOTE

General Geriatric Hospital is necessary for elderly patients in order for
them to receive an exclusive primary care and wellness services that emphasizes
on protection, promotion, and optimization of health along with the prevention
of illness, and the alleviation of suffering in conjunction with diagnosis and
treatment.

There is currently no General Geriatric Hospital that is in operation
across the nation. General Geriatric Hospital will offer primary elderly care
services that meet the Medical Institutes definition of safety-net provider by
providing care regardless of their patients’ ability to pay. A substantial share of
the patient mix is would be made up of uninsured elderly individuals and
recipients of medical assistance.

Approximately 50 percent of the elderly population have at least 1
chronic disease. These diseases account for a considerable rate of hospital
admissions, prescriptions filled, and physician visits. Majority of this population
have no capacity to pay for their health care. Chronic disease management
programs in a Geriatric facilility have the potential to improve outcomes for
chronically ill patients. Geriatric Hospitals will provide wellness services that
will strengthen the health care safety-net by expanding access to chronic disease
management services for geriatric and medically underserved populations.


General Geriatric Hospital offering primary elderly care provide a
medical home for medically underserved aging individuals, and are viable
partners with the National Government to reduce health disparities. They
provide a full range of health care services, including primary care, wellness
services, and behavioral health care to the residents of rural and urban
underserved communities. Because General Geriatric Hospital will be located in
public housing developments, senior living arrangements, schools, and
community centers, they will help remove barriers preventing access to care and
are instrumental in addressing and eliminating the factors contributing to health
disparities.

General Geriatric Hospital will offer wellness services that reinforce the
medical home concept by providing a critical first level of care for populations
living in rural areas with limited access to physicians and other primary care
providers.

As new strategies for increasing health coverage are implemented,
utilization of this kind of hospital offering both primary care and wellness
services will help mect the increased demand arising the increasing number of
the elderly population.

Elderly patients have a desperate need for primary care and wellness
services, a need that continues. To meet that need, Geriatric Hospitals that will
be established across the country will expanded their mission to focus on
increasing access to primary care and wellness services of the medically
underserved elderly populations, This hospitals will be the source of health care
for elderly patients.

‘The goal of this Act secks to establish a program that will give access to a
stable source of funding for the construction and operation of General Geriatric
Hospital further enabling them to expand primary care and wellness services for
the elderly patients especially in the underserved communities, while reducing
the level of health disparities that vulnerable elderly populations throughout our
nation. It is the purpose of this Act to fund the development and operation of
Geriartic Hospitals in Metro Manila and to provide comprehensive and
accessible primary health care and wellness services to elderly population
especially those living in medically underserved communities; and reduce the
level of health disparities experienced by elderly population.

HON. GODOFREDO V. ARQUIZA


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS

HOUSE BILL NO. 2293

Introduced by:
Rep. Godofredo V. Arquiza

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF GENERAL
GERIATRIC HOSPITALS IN METRO MANILA

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled.

SECTION 1. Short Title.
This Act may be cited as the ‘General Geriatric Hospital Act of 2010'.

SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. — For the purposes of this Act, these terms
are defined as follows:

*(1) Geriatric - The term “geriatrics means the branch of medicine that deals
with the problems and diseases of older adults and aging, including chronic
conditions and geriatric syndromes such as dementia, delirium, urinary
incontinence, osteoporosis, falls or gait disorders, or sleep disorders,

(2) General Geriatric Hospital - ‘The term General Geriatric Hospital’. means
a medical institution for the elderly, managed by the Department of Health in
coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD), Local Government Units (LGU), physicians and nurses, that provides
primary medical care or wellness services to elderly population associated with
nationally qualified health centers, independent nonprofit health or social
services agency.


*(3) Medically Underserved Population - The term “medically underserved
population’ refers to the rate of elderly population which has no capacity to
finance or pay for their medical needs.

*(4) Vulnerable Elderly Population- The term ‘vulnerable elderly population’
means a population of aging Filipinos that lacks access to adequate primary care
or suffers from increased health disparities due to factors such as health, age,
race, ethnicity, sex, insurance status, income level, or ability to communicate
effectively.

(5) Elderly Behavioral Health Care Services - The term ‘elderly behavioral
health care services! means health care related to aging Filipinos emotional
health and well-being and consists of identifying, assessing, and defining mental
health problems and developing a plan of care, which may include
psychopharmacological management, education about specific mental illnesses,
or basic counseling services that are furnished by qualified health care
professionals.

(6) Comprehensive Primary Health Care Services - The term ‘comprehensive
primary elderly health care services’ means health care related to aging Filipinos
and consisting of adult health and vital medical services that are furnished by
physicians, physician assistants, nurses, other advanced practice nurses, or other
qualified health care professionals. In addition to elderly primary care services,
specific services may include--

*(A) preventive health services;

*(B) appropriate cancer screening;

*(C) immunizations against vaccine-preventable diseases;
*(D) screenings for elevated blood lead levels;

‘(E) screening for communicable diseases;

*(F) cholesterol screenings;

*(G pediatric eye and ear screenings to determine the need for vision and
hearing correction;

*(H) emergency medical services;
°(1) diagnostic laboratory and radiologic services;

*(D) care navigation services; and


*(K) pharmaceutical services, as may be appropriate for each hospital.

*(7) Wellness Services- The term “wellness services’ means any health-related
service or intervention, not including primary care, which is designed to reduce
identifiable health risks and increase healthy behaviors intended to prevent the
onset of disease or lessen the impact of existing chronic conditions by teaching
more effective management techniques that focus on individual self-care and
patient-driven decision-making. Specific services may include

*(A) chronic disease self-management training;

*(B) health screenings relating to hypertension, diabetes, cancer, HIV,
lead exposure, and other chronic conditions;

*(C) health and patient education;

*(D) immunizations against vaccine-preventable diseases;
*(E) outreach and home visiting services;

*(F) environmental health risk reduction services;
‘(G) case management services;

*(H) interpretation and translation services;

*(D) weight control programs;

*(J) smoking cessation programs;

*(K) physical activity and fitness programs;

*(L) occupational safety and health; and

*(M) cognitive behavioral services.

SECTION 3. Establishment of General Geriatric Hospitals.
“(a) Authority To Establish General Geriatric Hospitals- The Secretary of

Health shall allocate fund for the cost of establishment and operation of
General Geriatric Hospitals that meet the requirements of this section.

*(b) Use of Funds-

‘(1) In General- Funds under this section may be used for the for
establishment of General Geriatric Hospitals, management of hospital
programs, for the payment of salaries for personnel, and for providing training


for the provision of required health services. Funds may also be used for
construction or acquiring and leasing buildings and equipment (including the
cost of amortizing the principle of, and paying interest on, loans for such
buildings and equipment).

*(2) Amount- The amount of fund made in any fiscal year to a General
Geriatric Hospitals shall be determined by the Health Secretary, taking into
account

*(A) the financial need of the General Geriatric Hospitals;

*(B) State, local, and other operational funding provided to the General
Geriatric Hospitals; and

*(C) other factors as determined appropriate by the Health Secretary.
‘(¢) Technical Assistance-

“(1) In General - The Health Secretary shall establish a program through
which the Secretary shall provide technical and other assistance to General
Geriatric Hospitals to assist in meeting the requirements of this section. In
determining appropriate providers to assist in offering technical assistance, the
Secretary shall consider whether the provider has demonstrated the capacity to
effectively address the unique needs of Gencral Geriatric Hospitals.

*(2) Technical Services - Services provided under this section may include
necessary technical and nonfinancial assistance, including fiscal and program
management assistance, training in fiscal and program management, operational
and administrative support, and the provision of information to General
Geriatric Hospitals regarding the various resources available under this section
and how those resources can best be used to meet the health needs of the
communities that will be served by this hospital.

*@) Evatuation- The Health Sccretary shall develop and implement a plan for
evaluating General Geriatric Hospitals, funded under this section. Such
evaluations shall monitor and track its performance as the quality of the
services they provide.

“(© Authorization of Appropriations- For the purposes of carrying out this
section, the Department of Health will submit to Congress for authorization of
the budget to be appropriated for every Fiscal Year.


SECTION 4. Separability Clause.

If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or unconstitutional, the
remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid
and subsisting.

SECTION 5. Repealing Clause.

Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of
instruction, administrative rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

SECTION 6. Effectivity Clause.
This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
Approved,

GO! REDO V. ARQUIZA