Free annual medical checkup for all Filipinos pushed

MANILA – A bill filed in the House of Representatives would entitle every Filipino to a free annual medical checkup and ensure access to preventive healthcare.

All Filipino citizens, by virtue of their membership in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) as mandated under the Universal Health Care Law, “shall be entitled to the applicable benefits under the Philippine Health Insurance Program,” according to House Bill (HB) 1785, or the proposed Free Annual Medical Checkup Act.

In a news release Tuesday, bill co-author Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan said that despite the implementation of the Universal Health Care Law and other significant strides in the Philippine health care system, “many Filipinos still succumb to diseases that are otherwise preventable and treatable with cost-effective interventions.”

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that as of September 2023, the leading cause of death in the Philippines was ischemic heart disease, followed by neoplasms (cancer), cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and pneumonia.

A separate report showed that six out of 10 Filipinos die without being medically attended to.

HB 1785 states that the free annual medical checkup shall include cholesterol and blood sugar tests. Laboratory and diagnostic tests shall also be expanded subject to the availability of funds.

Yamsuan said the bill ensures that each Filipino shall have the chance to access free annual medical checkup in any government hospital “to promote their right to quality health care services and prevent disease, disability, and death.”

“In the long run, the investment in extending this free checkup benefit would also lead to the government spending less in providing treatment for life-threatening ailments such as diabetes and heart disease, as many Filipinos would have the opportunity to be diagnosed and treated early before their conditions worsen,” he said.

Free mammograms test for all PhilHealth female members

Meanwhile, House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo urged the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to give its women members annual free medical tests, including mammograms and ultrasounds.

Tulfo made this call during the joint hearing by the House Committees on Ways and Means, Senior Citizens, and Special Committee on Persons with Disabilities on the discounts and benefits for seniors and persons with disabilities (PWDs) as the country celebrates Women's Month.

“It was brought up [during last hearings] the basic diagnostics, x-rays, ultrasound, ECG and particularly mammogram should be free courtesy of PhilHealth particularly Women's Month ngayon (now),” the ACT-CIS Party-list representative said.

“Pwede po ba gawing libre na ang mammogram para sa mga kababaihan natin. I think nasa top five po ng causes of death ng Filipino women ang cancer of the breast (Can't we make mammogram free for our women. I think breast cancer is in the top five causes of death of Filipino women),” he added.

Tulfo said he and Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez of Tingog Party-list agreed to push for free medical examinations among female members of PhilHealth.

During the hearing, PhilHealth Regional Office National Capital Region Vice President Bernadette Lico said Tulfo's recommendation will be included later once they have the comprehensive allocation benefit package.

Tulfo emphasized the importance of early detection of severe ailment.

“Wag naman po na librehin lang natin yung may cancer na, dapat even before na magkasakit po ng cancer pwede po ba sagutin ng PhilHealth (Let's not have it free for those with cancer only, PhilHealth should give it for free even before they get cancer),” Tulfo said.