2018 national budget for health: More money for curative, privatized health care

The proposed 2018 budget for health is bigger but not necessarily better. According to Health Alliance for Democracy, much of the P164 billion budget is focused on curative rather than on preventive healthcare and will mainly benefit the private sector.

"The Duterte administration inherited many complex health problems that require both short- and long-term solutions," according to Dr. Gene Nisperos, HEAD vice-chair. "But the 2018 health budget does not seem to reflect these solutions."

Once again, the National Health Insurance Corporation, or PhilHealth, will get the lion's share with P57 billion. This represents a 7% increase from its current budget and accounts for 35% of the entire national budget for health.

At the same time, almost all of the hospitals under the Department of Health will suffer an average of 24% cutback in their maintenance and operating expenses. Many will have 30% to 40% cuts.

The DOH-retained hospitals represent the last vestiges of health care services provided by the DOH. With such significant cuts in the budget for the maintenance and operating expenses of these hospitals, the DOH is practically crippling their ability to serve and leaving them to fend for themselves.

Moreover, preventive health programs, including those that focus on significant public health concerns, like tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV infections, will be short of P16.7 billion in budget as these suffer a whopping 52% budget cut.

"What does this all mean? That the DOH is allocating more money for curative care, which is more expensive and less cost-effective, rather than on preventive care. For a government that alleges limited resources, this is unsound policy." Nisperos said.

"But the curative care will be provided more by private hospitals and facilities rather than DOH hospitals. Right now, only 37% of hospitals accredited by PhilHealth are government run. So private hospitals and big pharmaceuticals will be grinning their way to the bank as they bilk PhilHealth of its billions," added Nisperos.

For HEAD, the DOH is sending the wrong message: with PhilHealth, the government is now a mere purchaser of health services rather than a provider of it.

"Once more, relevant health services and public health gives way to political expediency. This is the neoliberal program in health. Sadly, the people will be the ones to suffer for it," Nisperos concluded.

Is this really the kind of "legacy" this administration wants to leave?