DOH SECRETARY SIGNS IRR OF UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE LAW

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III today signed the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Universal Health Care Law (UHC) or the Republic Act No. 11223, which was enacted last February 20 of this year by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The IRR will pave way for the implementation of the UHC Law, which ensures holistic health care for every Juan and Juana by reorienting health care towards health promotion and preventive care, from a curative care focused system.

“The health system must actively improve the health literacy, the built environment, and the social determinants of health of every Filipino⁠—it should be a system that seeks out and cares for Juan and Juana everyday, throughout their lives, not just when they are sick,” Secretary Duque said.

Each Filipino will be assigned to a primary care provider (health worker) who shall be the first contact of health care. Primary care providers will deliver free essential health services and will guide patients through the different health care facilities. 

All Filipinos will also be automatic members of PhilHealth as direct or indirect contributors and shall be eligible to No Balance Billing once admitted to basic or ward accommodations in hospitals. Availability of basic ward accommodation in all facilities will be ensured through prescribed basic-private bed ratios—90:10 for public health facilities, 70:30 for public specialty health facilities, and a minimum of 10:90 for private health facilities.

With UHC, the delivery of optimum and quality health services will be achieved through capacity-building of human resources for health and improved access to medicines and commodities by way of transparent pricing. 

With all these promising improvements in the health system, the DOH reminds every Filipino to be cognizant of their role as agents of change, equally responsible for their own health. 

“When we say, “Sa UHC, lahat kasama,” we do not just mean that UHC caters to every Juan and Juana, we are also calling on every Juan and Juana to contribute to this immense reform to shape their health future, a health future that is for them and as much as it is by them,” Secretary Duque concluded. # Source – www.doh.gov.ph