Where are We? Lacson Presses DOH Over ‘Missed’ UHC Targets

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Friday questioned the usefulness of the government’s financing strategies for the Universal Health Care (UHC) program as he noted the spending targets repeatedly changed while actual spending did not consistently align with those targets.

Lacson noted that the DOH adopted successive financing plans for UHC in 2022 alone, with varying low, medium and high spending targets – raising questions on how progress in program implementation could be properly measured.

In Filipino: ‘Where are We?’ Lacson, Tinanong ang DOH sa Pagmintis sa UHC Targets

“Isang napansin ko since rollout, laging papalit-palit ang ating spending plans. Kaya tanong ko, where are we at in the implementation of the UHC? Kasi pupunta tayo ng medium, bababa tayo ng low, wala pa tayo sa high. Ang alam kong timeline, after six years from 2020 to 2026, dapat sa high end ang coverage, lahat na. Nasaan po tayo ngayon (One thing I noticed since the UHC rolled out in 2020, the spending plans kept changing. Where are we in the implementation of the UHC? We first aimed for medium-end, then low-end. From what I understand, we should have had high-end coverage in 2026. Where are we now)?” he said during the Senate Finance Committee’s hearing on the Department of Health’s 2027 budget.

Citing the DOH’s Medium Term Expenditure Program (MTEP) from 2019 to 2022, Lacson said the UHC spending targets were P168.23 billion for low-end (status quo), P257.08 billion for medium (select priority areas covered), and P286.33 billion for high (all barangays nationwide covered).

But the targets were revised under the MTEP from 2020 to 2023, which set spending targets of P199.01 billion for the low-end and P469.39 billion for high-end.

The targets were revised again under the Health Care Financing Strategy for 2023 to 2028, which set targets of P329.7 billion for low, P456.53 billion for medium, and P593.647 billion for high.

Actual health spending for 2022 stood at P283.52 billion.

“Kung lagi nating nami-miss ang target para saan ang ating ginagawang financing strategies (If we keep missing the targets, what are our financing strategies for)?” Lacson asked.

Lacson also said that while the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) managed to bring down the out-of-pocket share for health services to 41.2% by end-2025 from 55% in 2016, and with a target to further bring it down to 37% by 2028, it may need more clarification against the data on health care spending from the government.

Also, he asked the PhilHealth if the funds earmarked for UHC from special laws such as the sin tax law were actually released to the DOH for their intended purpose.

PhilHealth President/CEO Beverly Lorraine Ho said they should be able to claim P127.55 billion from 2019 to the second quarter of 2026. She added there were appropriations of P21 billion each for 2023 and 2024.

“Ano ang gap from all these special laws na naipasa na naka-earmark dapat sa DOH? You understand sa buong GAA ito pinapasok. You are dependent on the DBM kung magkano mabibigay lang para sa UHC (What is the gap from these special laws earmarked for the DOH? They are included in the GAA. You are dependent on the Department of Budget and Management on how much will be released for the UHC),” Lacson asked.

“This is where we can help you. Ito ang oversight namin. Kung di nagko-comply ang DBM kasi covered ng batas, earmarked sa DOH and UHC tapos di binibigay sa inyo, this is where our oversight kicks in (This is where we can help you. We have oversight powers. If the DBM does not comply with special laws earmarking funds for UHC, this is where our oversight kicks in),” he added.

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‘Where are We?’ Lacson, Tinanong ang DOH sa Pagmintis sa UHC Targets

Kinuwestyon ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Biyernes ang pagiging kapaki-pakinabang ng mga financing strategy ng pamahalaan para sa Universal Health Care (UHC) program, matapos niyang mapansin na paulit-ulit na nagbabago ang mga spending target pero hindi naman palaging naaayon sa aktuwal na paggastos.

Napansin ni Lacson na sunod-sunod na nagpatupad ang DOH ng mga financing plan para sa UHC, na may magkakaibang low, medium at high spending targets, kung kaya’t mahirap masukat nang maayos ang progreso sa pagpapatupad ng programa.

“Isang napansin ko since rollout, laging papalit-palit ang ating spending plans. Kaya tanong ko, where are we at in the implementation of the UHC? Kasi pupunta tayo ng medium, bababa tayo ng low, wala pa tayo sa high. Ang alam kong timeline, after six years from 2020 to 2026, dapat sa high end ang coverage, lahat na. Nasaan po tayo ngayon?” tanong niya sa pagdinig ng Senate Finance Committee sa 2027 budget ng Department of Health (DOH).

Batay sa Medium Term Expenditure Program (MTEP) ng DOH para sa 2019 hanggang 2022, sinabi ni Lacson na ang mga spending target para sa UHC ay P168.23 bilyon para sa low-end (status quo), P257.08 bilyon para sa medium (may saklaw na piling priority areas), at P286.33 bilyon para sa high (saklaw ang lahat ng barangay sa buong bansa).

Ngunit binago ang mga target sa ilalim ng MTEP para sa 2020 hanggang 2023, na nagtakda ng spending targets na P199.01 bilyon para sa low-end at P469.39 bilyon para sa high-end.

Muli itong binago sa ilalim ng Health Care Financing Strategy para sa 2023 hanggang 2028, na nagtakda ng targets na P329.7 bilyon para sa low, P456.53 bilyon para sa medium, at P593.647 bilyon para sa high.

Ang aktuwal na health spending para sa 2022 ay umabot sa P283.52 bilyon.

“Kung lagi nating nami-miss ang target para saan ang ating ginagawang financing strategies?” tanong ni Lacson.

Sinabi rin ni Lacson na bagama’t nagawa ng Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) na mapababa ang bahagi ng out-of-pocket payments para sa health services sa 41.2% pagsapit ng katapusan ng 2025 mula sa 55% noong 2016, at target pa itong ibaba sa 37% pagsapit ng 2028, nangangailangan pa ito ng paglilinaw kaugnay ng datos sa paggastos ng pamahalaan para sa health care.

Tinanong din niya ang PhilHealth kung ang mga pondong inilaan para sa UHC sa ilalim ng mga special law gaya ng sin tax law ay aktuwal na na-release sa DOH para sa itinakda nitong paggagamitan.

Sinabi ni PhilHealth President/CEO Beverly Lorraine Ho na batay sa kanilang mga tala, dapat nilang ma-claim ang P127.55 bilyon mula 2019 hanggang second quarter ng 2026. Idinagdag niya na may tig-P21 bilyong appropriation para sa 2023 at 2024.

“Ano ang gap from all these special laws na naipasa na naka-earmark dapat sa DOH? You understand sa buong GAA ito pinapasok. You are dependent on the DBM kung magkano mabibigay lang para sa UHC,” tanong ni Lacson.

“This is where we can help you. Ito ang oversight namin. Kung di nagko-comply ang DBM kasi covered ng batas, earmarked sa DOH and UHC tapos di binibigay sa inyo, this is where our oversight kicks in,” dagdag niya.

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