Pinoy Workers party-list Rep. Franz Legazpi has filed House Bill 7690, or the “Libreng Check-Up Act,” which seeks to provide all Filipino citizens with a free annual medical checkup through PhilHealth-accredited facilities to strengthen preventive health care and ensure early disease detection.
In a statement, Legazpi said the measure aims to make health services more accessible, especially for workers, low-income families and those living in remote communities.
“Para sa pangkalahatanang kalusugan, inihain natin ang HB 7690 o ang Libreng Check-Up Act na naglalayong gawing mas abot-kaya ang serbisyong pangkalusugan para sa lahat ng Pilipino,” Legazpi said.
He added that the bill will boost preventive care through free consultations and essential medical services.
“Sa ilalim ng panukalang ito, palalakasin ang preventive care sa pamamagitan ng libreng konsultasyon at pangunahing serbisyong medikal, lalo na para sa mga manggagawa, pamilyang kapos, at mga komunidad sa malalayong lugar,” he said.
The proposed measure mandates universal coverage, stating that every Filipino citizen shall be covered by the free annual medical check-up under this act regardless of financial status.
Under the bill, the annual checkup will include a general physical examination and diagnostic services such as blood tests including complete blood count, fasting blood sugar and lipid profile, urine and stool examinations, chest X-ray and other imaging, electrocardiogram and cancer screenings such as Pap smear or prostate-specific antigen tests based on age and risk factors.
Legazpi said the measure addresses the high cost of medical services that often results in delayed consultations and treatment.
“Naniniwala tayo na ang maagang pagsusuri at agarang gamutan ay nakababawas ng gastos, nakapagliligtas ng buhay, at nagpapatibay ng isang makatao at inklusibong sistemang pangkalusugan para sa bayan,” he said.
The bill emphasizes that there should be emphasis on improving the country’s health care system in terms of preventive interventions and strengthening the health-seeking behavior of citizens, citing the need to reduce delayed treatment, preventable complications, and increased health care expenditures.
Based on the proposed legislation, the implementation will be coursed through the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., where patients must first be screened by a PhilHealth-accredited primary care provider to evaluate and determine the appropriate examinations to be administered.
The checkups will be conducted in government hospitals and other PhilHealth-accredited health care institutions. Funding will be sourced from PhilHealth’s existing revenues, which the bill states shall be charged against the total revenue of PhilHealth, composed of premium contributions from direct contributors and premium subsidies of the government for the indirect contributors.
The measure also allows the expansion of services in the future, subject to available funds and emerging public health needs.
