Sen. JV Ejercito said the approval of Senate Bill (SB) 2620 was “an example of how legislators unite in crafting laws that will be genuinely felt and appreciated by the people.
The senator, sponsor of SB 2620, said that health care was an issue close to everyone’s heart and that the proposed legislation would improve the situation of every Filipino.
Ejercito said the passage of SB 2620 moved closer to the goal of “zero-balance” billing for all. “With great pride, I can say that this bill we passed on third reading today is the product of great minds who work together in achieving a noble goal,” he said.
He said that one of the salient features of the bill prevents “any portion of fund or income of PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance Corp.) or provident fund to transfer to the General Fund of the national government.”
The measure also includes dental services as part of the “essential health benefit package,” Ejercito said. Senators had opposed the Department of Finance’s move to transfer “unused and excess” PhilHealth funds to the National Treasury.
“A new paragraph was inserted in Section 10 of RA 11223 to grant the President the authority to suspend increases of PhilHealth premiums in the event of a state of national emergency, public health emergency, or state of calamity,” he said.
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