Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 11463)
The Act shall be known as the "Malasakit Centers Act".
The State aims to improve the delivery of health care services, ensure access and efficiency in availing medical and financial assistance, adopt a multi-sectoral approach addressing health issues, promote compassion and respect in health services, and provide medical and financial assistance through a one-stop shop.
A DOH Hospital refers to a hospital managed and administered by the Department of Health (DOH), including four corporate hospitals under the Secretary of Health: Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, and the Philippine Children's Medical Center.
An indigent patient is one who has no visible means of income or whose income is insufficient for their family’s subsistence, as assessed by the DSWD, local government social worker, or medical social worker of the health facility.
Malasakit Centers serve as one-stop shops for medical and financial assistance, provide patient navigation, information on health insurance coverage, document patient experiences, conduct capacity-building, and promote health awareness activities.
The incumbent Medical Director, Chief of Hospital, or Medical Center Chief is designated as the Malasakit Centers Director to oversee the management and operation of the center.
They shall be suspended without pay for three months for the first offense and dismissed from service for succeeding offenses, without prejudice to criminal charges under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and other penal laws.
They shall have the assistance rendered void, be liable to pay twice the amount of assistance received, and suffer imprisonment from six months to two years.
Each Malasakit Center shall be staffed by medical social workers and support staff, including designated representatives from the DOH, DSWD, PCSO, and PhilHealth, who handle assistance processing and benefits.
Funding is included in the General Appropriations Act, with amounts earmarked under the National Internal Revenue Code appropriated under the DOH. The DOH and DSWD must include personnel budget requirements in their submissions to the Department of Budget and Management.