Following recent calls from dozens of health groups to phase out the controversial Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program, Senate committees have endorsed a bill to make it a permanent part of the Universal Health Care (UHC) system—despite critics labeling it lawmakers' 'health pork.' Senate Bill No. 1593, consolidating four proposals, was approved at the committee level and awaits plenary debate.
The Senate committees on health, social justice, and finance in Manila, Philippines, have approved Senate Bill No. 1593, the Universal Healthcare Medical Assistance Program Act. This substitute bill aims to integrate MAIFIP as a regular component of the UHC system with annual national budget funding.
The move comes amid 2026 budget debates and shortly after 68 health professional groups urged boosting PhilHealth funding and phasing out MAIFIP, following Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa's rejection of redirecting its P51 billion allocation. Congress has nonetheless set P51.6 billion for MAIFIP in 2026, exceeding the executive's P24.2 billion proposal, despite opposition from 72 medical and healthcare associations seeking its abolition.
The proposed Universal Healthcare Medical Assistance Program (UHC MAP) targets indigent patients and those financially incapacitated facing severe, prolonged, or catastrophic illnesses—even after exhausting PhilHealth or other coverages. Beneficiaries require 'guarantee letters' from lawmakers and eligibility certification by registered social workers at health facilities.
The bill establishes a UHC Medical Assistance Program Trust Fund managed by the Department of Health (DOH) and audited by the Commission on Audit (COA), with an appeals process for denied applicants.
