PCSO TO SHOULDER DOCTOR’S PROFESSIONAL FEE BY OCTOBER – SPEAKER ROMUALDEZ

HOUSE Speaker Martin Romualdez on Wednesday announced that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has agreed to shoulder the professional fees of doctors treating patients covered by the Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients Program (MAIPP).

The Speaker issued the announcement following his meeting with PCSO general manager Mel Robles and Philippine Medical Association (PMA) president Dr. Hector Santos Jr., where they discussed the use of the state charity agency funds to pay doctors’ fees.

Romualdez said this is in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.s’ directive to improve healthcare delivery for Filipinos.

“Nagpapasalamat tayo dito sa ating GM ng PCSO at sinagot niya po ang hinaing ng ating healthcare professionals lalo na dito sa isyu ng professional fees,” the House Speaker said.

Robles said the modalities regarding the coverage of professional fees to be shouldered by the PCSO could be implemented by the end of October this year.

“All medical practitioners will (then) be covered by the government under the auspices of the PCSO so that health care will be totally free,” said Romualdez.

“Libre ang health care para sa lahat ng Pilipino, ‘yun po ang ating nais, at ‘yun po ang sinabi ng ating Presidente Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.,”  he added.

Earlier, Robles noted that various forms of medical assistance are already available to indigent Filipino patients, including from agencies like PhilHealth and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or programs like the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP).

Despite these, Robles noted that most of the time indigent patients still have to shoulder the professional fees of their doctors.

He said the expected change in the PCSO rules would address this problem and soon allow Filipinos to enjoy free health care.