Senator Ping Lacson has filed a bill aiming to remove political interference from the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program by integrating it into the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act.
The proposed legislation explicitly prohibits political exploitation and manipulation in the medical aid system.
Under the bill, government officials involved in endorsing patients or engaging in “credit-grabbing” may face lifetime disqualification from public service, along with potential civil, criminal, or administrative charges.
Lacson cited reports that private hospitals have refused guarantee letters from officials due to accumulating unpaid balances.
Despite the issuance of guarantee letters by governors, lawmakers, and other officials, concerns persist that hospitals may not be reimbursed if these endorsements came from election losers.
He referenced the Social Protection Plan 2023–2028, which highlights the need to reassess existing medical assistance programs to avoid duplication.
Lacson emphasized that under the UHC Act, all Filipinos are automatically enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program.
Through PhilHealth’s secured financing, the Department of Health can implement more effective population-based public health services.