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Table 1 Developments in health policies and laws concerning older adults in the Philippines

From: Reduction in inequalities in health insurance coverage and healthcare utilization among older adults in the Philippines after mandatory national health insurance coverage: trend analysis for 2003–2017

Year

Title/description

1992

RA 7432; an act to maximize the contribution of senior citizens to nation building, grand benefits and special privileges, and for other purposes

1995

RA 7875; National Health Insurance Act of 1995—creation of PhilHealth with coverage under 50%

2004

RA 9257; Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003, an act granting additional benefits and privileges to senior citizens and amending RA 7432

2004

RA 9241; an act amending RA 7875, stipulated that indigent contributions shall be subsidized by the local government units (LGUs) and the national government

2004

Executive Order 276 s. 2004; “Plan 5/25M” enrolled 4.2 million poor families or 21.2 million individuals into the PhilHealth program, funded by the Department of Budget and Management (DMBM) and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO)

2004

RA 9334; the Congress, through this act, earmarked 2.5% of government revenues from taxes on sin products to the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP)

2008

RA 9502; Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act providing for cheaper and quality medicines and amending other related laws

2010

RA 9994; Expanded Senior Citizens’ Act of 2010, stipulating that all indigent senior citizens shall be covered by the NHIP of PhilHealth

2010

Department of Health (DOH) Administrative Order (AO) 2010-0036; focused on increasing enrollment coverage, improving availment of benefits and improved facility preparedness through the Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP)

2011

PhilHealth Circular No. 011-2011; “No Balance Billing Policy” applied to all PhilHealth Sponsored Program members for specified cases

2012

PhilHealth Circular No. 048-2012; the Z Benefit Package developed by PhilHealth aimed to increase financial risk protection using cost-effective interventions

2012

RA 10351; Sin Tax Law—restructuring the excise tax on alcohol and tobacco products and amending the National Internal Revenue code of 1997

2013

RA 10606; amending RA 7875, shifted subsidizing PhilHealth premiums for Sponsored Program families to the DOH, and the Sin Tax Law to finance expanding of the Sponsored Program

2014

RA 10645; an act providing for the mandatory PhilHealth coverage for all senior citizens and amending the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010

2019

RA 11223; Universal Health Care (UHC) Act prescribing reforms in the healthcare system