UHC Act continues to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for Filipinos
July 27, 2026
Since its passage in February 2019, Republic Act No. 11223, or the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act, has made a significant difference in the lives of millions of Filipinos by expanding access to quality healthcare and helping them lead healthier lives.
Principally sponsored and authored by Senator JV Ejercito during his time as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography in the 17th Congress, the landmark law ensures that every Filipino is automatically enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP), providing them with better access to quality health services without the accompanying financial burden.
"While the law has fulfilled its promise of expanding healthcare access and benefits for millions of Filipinos, our work is far from over. We must continue to evolve and adapt to changing times by expanding health services that respond to the needs of every Filipino," Ejercito said.
“Our responsibility now is to ensure that every provision of the law is fully realized so that quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare truly becomes a right enjoyed by every Filipino and not for a privileged few,” he added.
Reducing out-of-pocket hospital costs
As the government continues to strengthen financial protection under the Universal Health Care UHC Act, reducing patients' out-of-pocket healthcare expenses remains an important priority.
While PhilHealth provides financial assistance to millions of Filipinos, sample hospital bills from both public and private hospitals show that many patients still shoulder a considerable portion of their hospitalization costs. In some illustrative cases gathered by the Office of Senator Ejercito, PhilHealth deductions ranged from 1% to 19% of the total hospital bill.
To help ease patients' financial burden, the Department of Health last year expanded its Zero Billing (ZBB) Program to all 83 DOH and government-owned hospitals.
Under the program, patients admitted to basic or ward accommodations receive hospital services free of charge. Nearly all patients, or 99%, admitted to basic or ward accommodations received free hospital care, including those who underwent major surgeries and other critical procedures.
From August 2025 to May 2026, about 2.65 million inpatients and emergency department patients benefited from the initiative, while another 6.9 million outpatients received free consultations, laboratory tests, diagnostic procedures, dialysis, chemotherapy, ambulatory surgeries, and other outpatient services. As of June 2026, the government had spent P65 billion on inpatient and emergency services and another P11.3 billion on free outpatient care through the program.
The long-term goal is to extend this level of financial protection to even more Filipinos and to ensure that a greater number of patients receive adequate coverage and are spared from catastrophic healthcare costs.
“Umaasa tayo na makakamit natin ang ginhawang pangako ng UHC—na sa oras ng pangangailangan medikal, may gobyernong maaasahan ang bawat Pilipino!” said Ejercito.
Addressing the remaining gaps in UHC implementation
The UHC Act has expanded health coverage since 2019, but many Filipinos still struggle to see a doctor early, afford medicines, and access quality healthcare close to home.
In implementing the UHC act, the DOH and PhilHealth have introduced reforms to help close these gaps.
Strengthening primary care through YAKAP. Instead of waiting until illnesses require hospitalization, more Filipinos can now receive consultations, early diagnosis, and preventive healthcare in their communities through the Yaman ng Kalusugan (YAKAP) Program. As of March 2026, the program serves 23.25 million registered beneficiaries through 4,135 accredited providers. It has also expanded coverage to include preventive oral healthcare and outpatient cancer screening.
Making essential medicines more accessible through GAMOT. To help patients continue treatment without the burden of high medicine costs, PhilHealth expanded the GAMOT program into a nationwide initiative. It now covers 75 essential medicines, up from 53, while annual outpatient drug benefits have increased from P9,000 to P20,000 per beneficiary. As of March 22, 2026, the program has accredited 1,601 providers and served 122,740 beneficiaries.
Scaling up Human Resources for Health. To address the gaps in the healthcare workforce, the UHC provides for the development of a National Human Resource Master Plan. For this year alone, the DOH plans to deploy 23,409 doctors, nurses, and other allied health professionals across the regions as well grant 471 scholarships to those taking up medicine, midwifery, medical technology and pharmacy courses. Soon, all Filipinos will have the opportunity to receive healthcare services from health professionals.
Upgrading healthcare hon infrastructures. The shortage of hospitals and healthcare facilities remains a major challenge in fully realizing the UHC Act. As more Filipinos gain access to healthcare, the country must continue to expand its capacity to meet growing demand.
To address this, the government continues to invest in the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), which has funded more than 42,000 health infrastructure projects worth about P190 billion. The program has upgraded hospitals and primary care facilities, increased service utilization, and strengthened the country's capacity to deliver healthcare closer to communities.
UHC is a work-in-progress
The UHC has already begun to change the lives of Filipinos through its reforms but Senator Ejercito is convinced that its full implementation would be revolutionary.
“Ang UHC ay para sa bawat Pilipino. Marami nang naitulong ang batas, pero marami pa itong kayang maibigay. It is a work-in-progress, a 10-year health reforms. Kaya ang susunod nating hakbang ay ang masusing review sa implementasyon ng UHC para matukoy ang mga natitira pang puwang at mas mapalakas pa ang pagpapatupad nito,” said Ejercito.
