FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.NO. 18 
Iutroduced by Senators Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes N, Ferdinand "Bon 
Marcos, Jr., and Pia S. Cayetano 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to provide automatic enrollment of all citizens in the National Health 
Insurance Program. 
It is a truism that healthy citizens are essential to bring about faster economic 
development and better quality of life. Thus, the government must provide a 
comprehensive health care program to the people. Such is the National Health Insurance 
Program designed to help the people pay for their health care services. 
A review of the Program would reveal, however, the need to strengthen the delivery of 
health care services to the people. Under the National Health Insurance Program, 
automatic membership is extended to beneficiaries of SSS, and GSIS members, retirees, 
pensioners, and their dependents, but requires indigents and the unemployed to first 
enroll in the Program by complying with several requirements. 
Many are still deprived of the benefits of the Program, particularly the marginalized 
sector. A survey by the Department of Health showed that individuals belonging to poor 
families have a high degree of mortality since they cannot avail themselves of the 
necessary health care services. 
The primary concern of the Program should be to uplift the plight of the poor by 
subsidizing health care services that are also readily accessible to everybody. Through 
automatic enrolment, this proposed measure gives highest the maximum coverage to the 
population with the basic minimum package of health insurance benefits. 
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly recommended. 
FERDINAND "B 
GBO~G" MARCOS, JR. 
PIA S. CAYETANO 
I 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.NO. 18 
10 
JUt -1 t"':n 
Introduced by Senators Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV, Ferdinand "Bongbong" 
Marcos, Jr., and Pia S. Cayetano 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING THAT ALL CITIZENS OF THE PHILIPPINES SHALL 
AUTOMATICALLY 
BE 
ENROLLED 
IN 
THE 
NATIONAL 
HEALTH 
INSURANCE PROGRAM AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE THE NATIONAL 
HEALTH INSURANCE ACT OF 1995 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled 
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SECTION 1. Section 6 of Republic Act no. 7875 is hereby amended to read as 
2 
follows: 
3 
"Sec. 
6. 
Coverage. -
All citizens of the Philippines shall 
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AUTOMATICALLY BE ENROLLED AND be covered by the National Health 
5 
Insurance Program. [In accordance with the principles of universality and compulsory 
6 
coverage enunciated in Section 2(b) and 2(1) hereof, implementation of the Program 
7 
shall, furthermore, be gradual and phased in over a period of not more than fifteen (15) 
8 
years: Provided, That the Program shall not be made compulsory in certain provinces and 
9 
cities until the Corporation shall be able to ensure that the members in such localities 
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shall have reasonable access to adequate and acceptable health care services. "] 
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12 
SEC. 2. Section 7 of the same Act is hereby further amended to read as follows: 
13 
"Sec. 7. Enrollment. -The Program shall AUTOMATICALLY enrol 
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ALL CITIZENS OF THE PHILIPPINES AS beneficiaries in order for them to be placed 
I 


1 
under coverage that entitles them to avail of benefits with the assistance of the financial 
2 
arrangements provided by the Program. The process of enrollment shall include the 
3 
identification of beneficiaries, issuance of appropriate documentation specifying 
4 
eligibility to benefits, and indicating how membership was obtained or is being 
5 
maintained. The enrollment shall proceed in accordance with these specific policies: 
6 
7 
x 
x 
x 
8 
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SEC. 3. Section 46 of the same Act is hereby further amended to read as follows: 
10 
11 
12 
x 
x 
x 
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"ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS ARE HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO BE 
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APPROPRIATED, TO AUGMENT THE HEALTH INSURANCE FUNDS FROM THE 
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RESPECTIVE ANNUAL EARNINGS OF THE PHILIPPINE AMUSEMENT AND 
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GAMING CORPORATION (pAGCOR) 
AND 
THE PHILIPPWE 
CHARITY 
17 
SWEEPSTAKES OFFICE (PCSO), EQUIVALENT FIVE PERCENT (5%) THEREOF." 
18 
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SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least 
20 
two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
2