Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano criticized the Department of Health (DOH) and PhilHealth for misleading the public on the No Balance Billing (NBB) policy, saying the program does not reflect patients’ actual experiences.
He pointed out that NBB only covers indigent patients within PhilHealth case rate limits, which often fall short of real hospital costs, while Zero Balance Billing applies solely to DOH-retained hospitals for basic ward patients.
Cayetano also highlighted that PhilHealth has not updated its case rates since 2017, undermining the policy’s effectiveness.
During Senate budget debates for 2026, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa explained the distinction between NBB and Zero Balance Billing to clarify public confusion.
The senator urged the government to either fully implement the policy or rename it to prevent false expectations and restore public trust.
Source: PhilNews24 | November 29, 2025
CAYETANO SLAMS DOH OVER MISLEADING PHILHEALTH NO BALANCE BILLING CLAIMS
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