The Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed that patients will no longer pay for basic accommodations in DOH hospitals, aligning with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive on zero-balance billing.
This initiative was officially announced during the President’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) to ease financial burdens on individuals needing medical care.
President Marcos emphasized that services under basic accommodations will be provided free of charge in DOH-run hospitals.
Funding for this healthcare assistance comes from the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFP), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), and allocations from the DOH itself.
The program complements existing support from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
In a public statement, DOH also confirmed that MAIFP program processing will be integrated into the e-Gov application to ensure a more unified, rapid, transparent, and accessible assistance process.
During the post-SONA government forum, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa clarified that the free basic accommodation applies strictly to DOH hospitals; patients at private hospitals will still incur costs.
Herbosa noted that zero-balance billing initially covered only indigent patients and 4Ps members, but it now extends to all individuals using DOH hospital services.
He proudly shared that 40 out of 83 DOH hospitals now have air-conditioned wards, further improving patient comfort.