Patients receiving treatment in participating private hospitals may qualify for government medical assistance under the expanded Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.
DOH Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary for Hospital Systems Cluster Dr. Tagumpay Maniquis said the program is not limited to patients classified as indigent but also covers those who earn an income but cannot afford the cost of medical treatment.
“Meron po silang trabaho pero sa pagkakataon na sila ay nagkasakit eh dito talaga sila nahihirapan na bayaran kung ano man mga kailangan para sa pagpapagamot (They have jobs, but when they fall ill, they struggle to pay for the care they need),” Maniquis said in an interview with PTV’s Sentro Balita.
MAIFIP assistance may cover inpatient and outpatient services, surgical procedures, laboratory tests and rehabilitation, according to Maniquis.
Patients undergoing cancer treatment, including chemotherapy, may also apply for assistance under the program.
The availability of the assistance, however, depends on whether the medical facility where the patient is being treated participates in MAIFIP.
To make the application process easier, the DOH has implemented the e-MAIFIP system, which allows patients at participating facilities to complete the required forms and facilitates the release of assistance.
The program can also be accessed through the e-Gov app.
Maniquis clarified that MAIFIP is different from the government’s Zero Balance Billing policy.
Zero Balance Billing applies to patients in basic accommodations at public hospitals, while MAIFIP can also cover necessary services provided by participating private hospitals.
“Ang Zero Balance Billing po eh ito sa public hospital, pero ito pong MAIFIP eh sinasaklaw po nito pati serbisyo po ng private hospital kung kinakailangan po ng pasyente (Zero Balance Billing applies to public hospitals, while MAIFIP also covers services at private hospitals when patients need them),” Maniquis said.
Citing President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address, Maniquis said around 8 million people had benefited from the medical assistance program.
He said the government has no fixed target for the number of beneficiaries because it aims to extend assistance to more Filipinos who need help paying for medical treatment.
Funding for the MAIFIP program is included in the proposed national budget for next year.
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