Cayetano slams DOH for politicizing healthcare
November 30, 2024
Cayetano slams DOH for politicizing healthcare
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday raised concerns over the Department of Health's (DOH) increased allocation for the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program, slamming it for politicizing healthcare.
Speaking directly to Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, Cayetano argued that DOH's current focus on MAIFIP fails to address more urgent issues within the healthcare system such as fulfilling its commitment to the No Balance Billing policy, low rates of immunization, stunting of Filipino children, and maternal mortality.
"Napopoliticize tayo. Politicians would rather have patients ask for help at may maibigay sila. Pero kung aayusin ang presyo (ng PhilHealth packages) at No Balance Billing, hindi na natin kailangan ng ganyang kalaking MAIFIP," Cayetano said during the 2025 budget plenary debates for the DOH on November 19, 2024.
He also criticized the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for failing to update its package rates in a decade to reflect rising healthcare costs.
If updated, the senator said, it could have helped improve healthcare accessibility, lower out-of-pocket expenses and reduce dependency on MAIFIP.
"Napag-iwanan na tayo... I envy 2013 and 2014 where the PhilHealth case rates were close to the real price and people actually started believing in No Balance Billing. But now it's a joke!" the senator said.
Cayetano said this has led to higher out-of-pocket expenses for indigent patients, making the policy nearly impossible to implement.
"The idea of the No Balance Billing policy is that if I'm a patient and my treatment is covered by the case rate, I shouldn't have to pay anything extra. I should be able to use my PhilHealth and go in and out of the hospital with no additional charges. But because the case rates are outdated, this is now almost impossible," he said.
Cayetano also stressed to Herbosa that the DOH should not tie MAIFIP to the department's priorities, and instead focus on tackling system health issues.
"I hope this is the last year that we don't relate the need for MAIFIP sa stunting ng Filipino children, sa nutrition, at PhilHealth coverage," he told Herbosa.
He said this is because in reality, MAIFIP is being used to cater to political interests.
"During the pandemic, we said 'let's listen to the doctors and scientists.' But now, the DOH budget reflects the opinion of politicians. The technocrats shouldn't see it this way. You should fix it," he said.
After receiving a series of reprimands from Cayetano, Herbosa could only respond, "I agree Mr. President."
Cayetano binatikos ang pamumulitika ng DOH
Binatikos ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano nitong Martes ang pagtaas ng alokasyon ng Department of Health (DOH) para sa programang Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) dahil aniya'y nagagamit ito sa pamumulitika ng pangangalaga sa kalusugan ng mga Pilipino.
Direktang sinabi ni Cayetano ang maaanghang na pahayag na ito kay Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, at ikinatuwirang bigo ang DOH sa pagtuon sa MAIFIP gayong maraming isyu ang mas kagyat na dapat tugunan tulad ng pagtupad sa pangako nito sa No Balance Billing policy, mababang rate ng immunization, stunting o pagkabansot ng mga batang Pilipino, at pagkamatay ng mga kababaihan dahil sa pagbubuntis.
"Napopoliticize tayo. Politicians would rather have patients ask for help at may maibigay sila. Pero kung aayusin ang presyo (ng PhilHealth packages) at No Balance Billing, hindi na natin kailangan ng ganyang kalaking MAIFIP," wika ni Cayetano sa DOH sa pagtalakay ng 2025 budget sa plenaryo nitong November 19, 2024.
Binatikos din niya ang Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) sa hindi pag-update ng package rates nito sa loob ng isang dekada para ipakita ang tumataas na gastos sa pangangalagang pangkalusugan.
Sinabi ng senador na kung na-update, maaari itong makatulong na mapabuti ang accessibility sa pangangalagang pangkalusugan, mapababa ang out-of-pocket na gastos, at mabawasan ang pag depende sa MAIFIP.
"Napag-iwanan na tayo... I envy 2013 and 2014 where the PhilHealth case rates were close to the real price and people actually started believing in No Balance Billing. But now it's a joke!" wika niya.
Sinabi ni Cayetano na nagdulot ito ng mas mataas na gastusin para sa mga mahihirap na pasyente kaya halos imposibleng ipatupad ang patakaran.
"The idea of the No Balance Billing policy is that if I'm a patient and my treatment is covered by the case rate, I shouldn't have to pay anything extra. I should be able to use my PhilHealth and go in and out of the hospital with no additional charges. But because the case rates are outdated, this is now almost impossible," wika niya.
Binigyang diin din ni Cayetano kay Herbosa na hindi dapat itali ng DOH ang MAIFIP sa mga prayoridad ng departamento at sa halip ay tumuon sa mga mas kagyat ng isyu ng kalusugan.
"I hope this is the last year that we don't relate the need for MAIFIP sa stunting ng Filipino children, sa nutrition, at PhilHealth coverage," sabi niya kay Herbosa.
Ayon kay Cayetano, nagagamit ang MAIFIP para sa pampulitikang interes ng iilan.
"During the pandemic, we said 'let's listen to the doctors and scientists.' But now, the DOH budget reflects the opinion of politicians. The technocrats shouldn't see it this way. You should fix it," aniya.
Pagkatapos makatanggap ng sunud-sunod na pagalit mula kay Cayetano, ang tanging nasagot lamang ni Herbosa ay, "I agree Mr. President."
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