MANILA, Philippines - A lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to include indigent, abandoned and orphaned persons with disability (PWDs) in the coverage of PhilHealth.
Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan filed House Bill (HB) 5012, also known as "An act providing for the mandatory PhilHealth coverage for all indigent, abandoned and orphaned persons with disability and appropriating funds thereof."
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The National Health Insurance Act of 2013 states that PWDs who are 21 years old and above are among the legal dependents of a PhilHealth member but they lose this privilege once one or both parents die.
The bill defines "abandoned" as having no known family willing and capable to take care of them and "indigent" refers to persons with no visible means of income.
"This bill will enable all PWDs to feel more secure because of the guarantee that they will have access to medical and health services when need arises," said Tan.
The bill is now pending with the House of Representatives Committee on Health.