Patients treated in participating private hospitals may now get financial assistance from the Department of Health (DOH) through its expanded Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program.
The program is not limited to people with no income. It also covers patients who have jobs or earn money but cannot afford the cost of their 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,” DOH Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary for Hospital Systems Cluster Dr. Tagumpay Maniquis said in an interview with PTV’s Sentro Balita on Monday.
The assistance may be used for hospital confinement and other medical needs, including outpatient treatment, surgery, laboratory tests, rehabilitation and cancer treatment such as chemotherapy.
However, patients can receive assistance from a private hospital only if the facility is participating in the MAIFIP program.
How to apply
The DOH has also introduced the e-MAIFIP system to make applications easier.
Through the system, patients can complete the required forms through participating hospitals. The program can also be accessed through the e-Gov app.
Maniquis said MAIFIP should not be confused with Zero Balance Billing, another government program for patients in public 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,” Maniquis said.
In simple terms, Zero Balance Billing applies to qualified patients in basic accommodations at public hospitals, while MAIFIP can provide assistance for medical services, including those provided by participating private hospitals.
Maniquis said about 8 million people have already benefited from the medical assistance program, citing President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address.
He said the program has no fixed number of beneficiaries because the government intends to extend assistance to more Filipinos who need help paying for medical treatment.
Funding for MAIFIP is included in the proposed national budget for next year.
