A Philippine bill providing free PhilHealth coverage to persons with disabilities (PWD) has passed the third and final reading of the senate.
This means that if this bill is forwarded to the President of the Philippines and signs it, it will become a law.
This is great news not only for the person with disabilities (PWD) but also those employed in the formal economy.
The principal author of the bill, Senator Risa Hontiveros in a video statement
said,
Kahapon ay inaprubahan ng Senado ang aking inihaing panukalang batas na nagbibigay
sa mga Pilipinong may kapansanan o PWD ng awtomatikong Philhealth coverage.Ang mga Pilipinong may kapansanan at Pilipinong may trabaho sa pormal na ekonomiya, ang premium contribution nila ay paghahatiang bayaran ng employer at ng gobyerno.
Kapag pinal na etong naisabatas, ang mga pilipinong pwd ay maeenjoy ang full coverage at full range na serbisyo mula sa philhealth na magagamit sa pangangalaga ng kanilang kalusugan kagaya ng pagpapatingin sa doctor, pagsasailalim sa physical therapy at iba pa.
Sa ilalim ng panukalang batas na eto ang serbisyong pangkalusugan ay napapalapit sa lahat lalong lalo na sa mga pilipinong may kapansanan.
Once signed into law, the government will shoulder the premium contributions of PWDs while the premium contributions of those employed in the formal economy will be paid by their employer and the national government. The government will source funds from sin tax collection.
Senator Risa Hontiveros called the passage “a big step towards our dream of universal health care for all Filipinos.
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