BALANGA CITY (PIA) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday reported that nearly 3,000 patients of the Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) in Balanga City have already benefited from the government’s Bayad na Bill Mo or Zero Balance Billing (ZBB) program.
The policy ensures all eligible patients are discharged without paying out-of-pocket expenses for Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth)-covered services.
It is implemented in line with Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care Law, which seeks to provide accessible and equitable healthcare for all Filipinos.
“Dito sa Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center, halos 3,000 o 2,976 na pasyente ang natulungan ng Zero Balance Billing program,” Marcos said during his visit to the province.
The President also commended BGHMC for introducing an additional feature to the ZBB process.
Instead of requiring patients to line up at the cashier before discharge, the hospital delivers the zero-billing statement directly to patients for added convenience.
“This is another added convenience which I think we should adopt all around the country,” Marcos noted.
He emphasized that the ZBB program, currently implemented in 87 Department of Health hospitals nationwide in partnership with PhilHealth, is helping remove financial barriers that previously discouraged Filipinos from seeking medical treatment.
“Yung mga dating nagdadalawang-isip bago magpa-ospital dahil iniisip nila napakamahal… wala nang problema ngayon yun,” he said, adding that the program brings the country closer to realizing universal healthcare.
Marcos also cited the role of the Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) centers, such as the one in Pilar, Bataan, which provide laboratory tests, maternal and child services, and minor surgical procedures to help ease congestion in major hospitals.
Patients who require confinement are then referred by the BUCAS centers to hospitals like BGHMC.
“My aspiration of course is to achieve the dream of universal healthcare for all our people… and with the dedication of our health workers, I am confident we can achieve this,” Marcos said.
The President expressed gratitude to doctors, nurses, and other health workers for their continued service, noting that their commitment gives him confidence in the success of government healthcare reforms.
This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to strengthening the health system and ensuring that quality healthcare is both accessible and affordable for every Filipino. (MJSC/RPQ, PIA Region 3-Bataan)
