3Rerubltt ®{ tDc ff}b"ppj"es
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
anatasan aBtlls, ®ue3o" ®tty
Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session
House'b'i`11`N'o.       6118
Introduced by Representative Florencio Gabriel "Ben" G. Noel
AN ACT
PROVIDING FREE HEMODIALYSIS, PERITONEAL DIALYSIS, AND OTHER
DHPARTMHNT OF HEALTH APPROVED DIALYSIS PROCEDURES T0 ALL
SHNI0R CITIZHNS
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a worldwide crisis and an important contributor to
global mortality and morbidity[. It is projected that 1 in 10 people have some degree of CKD.
In 2017, CKD resulted in 1.2 million deaths worldwide2. With the natural aging of the kidneys,
CKD becomes more common with increasing age. Conditions prevalent in senior citizens, such
as heart diseases,  high  blood  pressure,  and  diabetes,  also  damage the  kidneys3.  For senior
citizens aged sixty-five (65) through seventy-four (74) worldwide, it is estimated that one in
five men, and one in four women, have CKD.4 This statistic is problematic since CKD increases
the risk of senior citizens from developing serious complications or dying from heart attack
and stroke.
CKD   is   largely  preventable   and  treatable  through   dialysis  procedures   such   as
hemodialysis  and  peritoneal  dialysis5.  However,  the  cost  of medical  treatment  for  kidney
diseases in the country remains highly expensive. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation
(Philhealth) only subsidizes 90 out of the  144 dialysis sessions needed in a year of treatment6.
Further, with the advent of the Coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19), the mortality risk of
senior  citizens  from  CKD  has  further  increased.  The  COVID-19  pandemic  magnified  the
physical  and  financial  vulnerabilities  of our  senior citizens.  In  the  Philippines,  the  need  to
1 Bikbov, Boris et al. Global, regional, and national burden of chronic kidney disease, 1990-2017: a systematic
analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet, Volume 35, Issue 10225,709-733.
2-  Ibid.
3 https://www. worldkidneyday.org/facts/chronic-kidney-disease/
4 World Kidney Day. "Chronic Kidney Disease." Retrieved from:
https://www.worldkidneyday.org/facts/chronic-kidney-disease/
5 2018 United States Renal Data System Data Report Volume 2.
6 Philhealth Circular 22-2015


access dialysis has increased by 400% in the past  10 years with CKD becoming one of the
leading causes of death among Filipino senior citizens.7 Not only are they at a high risk of
contracting the virus due to their pre-existing medical conditions, but also many senior citizens
only rely on their social pension - a measly amount of P500 they receive monthly provided by
the Philippine Government. Finding other means of income or employment would be difficult
after the age of 608. With a case rate of P2,500 per session of dialysis, we cannot expect that
our senior citizens needing this life saving treatment will be capable of paying the remalning
54 sessions amounting to P 135,000 per year.
Consistent  with  Article  XIII,  Section  11  of the  1987  Constitution  which  seeks  to
endeavor to make essential goods and services available and affordable, especially for among
others, the elderly. Further, the 1987 Philippine Constitution directs that we, the government,
should prioritize the needs of our senior citizens. It is only by providing them a higher degree
of care and protection that can we ensure we stay true to our mandate of upholding social justice
and their right to life.
Therefore, this bill  seeks to provide free hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and other
Department of Health (DOH) approved dialysis procedures to senior citizens. To honor the
efforts and contribution  to  society  of our grtz#cZ/#fhers and grandmothers we must aid  and
safeguard them in their vulnerable state.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is eamest]y sought.
FL¥AI¥NOEL
Representative
An-Waray Partylist
7 S.C.W. Tang, et, al., "Dialysis Care and Dialysis Funding in Asia." American Journal of Kidney Diseases (2019).
8 Horn, David, Charles Knox-Vydraanov, and Aura Sevilla the Feasibility of a Universal Social Pension in the
Philippines". Quezon City: Coalition of Services for the Elderly, and Help Age International, 2017


iRapublit ot toe ffibtltppt"es
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
asatasatt aBtlls, ®ue?on ®tty
Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session
House``b.i`ll`No.      6118
Introduced by Representative Florencio Gabriel "Ben" G. Noel
AN ACT
PROVIDING FREE HEMODIALYSIS, PHRITONEAL DIALYSIS, AND OTHER
DHPARTMENT 0F HEALTH APPROVED DIALYSIS PROCHDURES T0 ALL
SHNI0R CITIZHNS
Be  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  Of  Representatives  Of the  Philippines  in  Congress
assembled.
SECTION 1. S„orf Tl.J/c.  This Act shall be known as the  ''Free D!.a/ysis/or Se#j.or
Citizens Act".
SEC 2. Dcc/¢ro/i.ow a/Po/z.cjJ.  It is the declared policy of the State to improve the
delivery of health care services to the people and to ensure hospital facilities are available,
affordable and accessible to the people especially to the elders.
SEC. 3. Free DJ.a/ysJ.a/or4JJ Se#J.or CJ./I.ze#s. -The cost of the needed hemodialysis,
peritoneal dialysis, and other Department of Health (DOH) approved dialysis procedure shall
be fully reimbursed by the Philippines  Health  Insurance Corporation  (PhilHealth), provided
such treatment is availed of at  PhilHealth accredited hospitals and/or free-standing dialysis
centers. Proi;r.c7edrftrfheJ., that only those procedures that use the dialysis solutions included in
the latest edition of the Philippine National Drug Formulary aNDF) shall be reimbursed by
the  Philhealth.  P7iow.c7ed ¢73a//y,  that  only  laboratory  procedures  and  supplies  considered
necessary shall be covered by the Philhealth. Philhealth shall, as soon as possible, reimburse
all official receipts for drugs, supplies, and laboratory procedures dated thirty (30) days prior
to the date of the claimed session.
SE:C.  4.  In|plementing  Rules  and  Regulations.  W.I+him thi]rty  (SOD  days  from the
approval of this Act, the DOH, the PhilHealth, and the National Commission on Senior Citizens
(NSCC),   in  coordination  with  other  implementing  agencies,   shall   formulate  rules  and
guidelines as may be necessary for the proper implementation and enforcement of this Act.
SEC. 5. 4praprJ.a/I.our. The amount needed for the implementation of this Act shall
be  charged  against  the  appropriations  of the  DOH  and  the  PhilHealth  in  the  current  and


subsequent General Appropriations Act and their own respective funds. Thereafter, the amount
necessary for the continuous implementation of this Act shall be included in the budget of the
concerned departments in the annual General Appropriations.
SEC. 6. ScparobJ./J.fy CJawse  lf any provision of this Act or the application thereof to
any  person or circumstance  is  declared  invalid  or  unconstitutional,  the  other provisions  or
sections  of this  Act  and  the  application  of such  provision  or  section  to  other  persons  or
circumstances, not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
SHC. 7. Rcpc¢/I.mg Cyausc. Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order,
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modifled or amended accordingly.
SEC. 8. EJLTecfJ.vJ.ty. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Ofricial Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,