00:00The president is fairly satisfied in government's implementation of the zero-billing policy for the poor, indigents, and other marginalized sectors after his inspection trip to Quezon City's East Avenue Medical Center earlier today.
00:11Despite a few snags and snarls, this will-received health care initiative has saved 200 million pesos in hospital expenses for at least 2,000 inpatients in the EAMC alone, as our Kenneth Paciente reports.
00:23John suffered multiple fractures in his body after an accident last June.
00:30After nearly two months of staying in the hospital for treatment, his hospital bill ballooned to more than half a million pesos.
00:36Ando na po ako sa point na iniisip ko lagi gabi-gabi noon. Abang andito ako sa hospital, paano babayaran? Saan ko po kukunin niyo?
00:45But John's problem was erased because of the government's zero-balance billing policy.
00:49Earlier, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visited East Avenue Medical Center to check the proper implementation of the policy.
00:57His directive, patients should no longer have to go through hassles to avail of it.
01:01Ito yung patuloy natin pag-inspeksyon at pag-siguro na yung ating programa na zero-billing
01:10ay unang-una na nagagampanan ng lahat ng mga ating mga hospital, ating mga staff, ating mga doktor, ating mga nurse,
01:21lahat ng ating medical services ay naunawaan kung ano ba yung programa at kung paano makapag-avail ang mga pasyente.
01:29The President also pointed out that while the policy still needs to be fine-tuned in the beginning,
01:34its implementation is going well.
01:36He said, it just needs to be properly disseminated so the public will be aware of it.
01:40And so they no longer have to worry about expenses before seeing a doctor.
01:44So I'm happy to be able to report that the zero-billing program is proceeding well.
01:49Mabuti naman. At malaking bagay dyan. Kaya ikalat ninyo ito. Word of mouth.
01:55Kasi yung mga ibang pasyente siya, ah, wala kayong binabayad. Ma, meron palang ganyan.
02:00So ikalat natin, palaman natin sa lahat ng tao para hindi na sila nagdadalawang isip na magpatingin, magpagamot, at magpagaling.
02:09The zero-balance bill is in line with the universal healthcare law, wherein PhilHealth covers the expenses of patients
02:15confined in public hospitals under basic accommodation, including room charges, doctor's fees, and other costs.
02:23John is now at peace knowing he will not pay even a single peso because of the zero-balance billing policy.
02:29Noong nalaman namin yung about po doon sa zero-balance billing po, doon po nawala yung parang ano po, yung parang bagabag.
02:48Kung baga, yung bagabag. Napalitan po ng saya.
02:52His mother, Hilda, is also very grateful, saying it felt like a heavy burden was lifted when their bill was erased.
03:00There's a joy po. Kasi, syempre, eh, kaiisip mo po kung saan ka kukuha ng ibabayad, tapos ganito, magiging zero bill siya.
03:09Yun po, talagang napakasaya po talaga namin.
03:12Just this July, after the president's sona, more than 2,000 patients who availed of basic accommodation were discharged without paying anything at EAMC.
03:21A zero-balance billing program covered more than 200 million pesos in hospital bills.
03:27Kenneth Paciente, from the National TV Network, for a new and better Philippines.
