QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 11228)
Republic Act (RA) No. 11228 amends RA No. 7277 (the “Magna Carta for Persons with Disability”) by adding Section 20-A to provide mandatory PhilHealth (NHIP) coverage for all persons with disability (PWDs).
RA 11228 mandates that all PWDs shall be automatically covered under the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) of PhilHealth.
Premium contributions for all PWDs shall be paid by the national government.
For PWD members in the formal economy, premium contributions shall be shared equally by their employers and the national government.
The funds shall be sourced from the National Health Insurance Fund of PhilHealth, earmarked from the proceeds of RA No. 10351 (excise tax restructuring on alcohol and tobacco products).
PhilHealth must develop exclusive packages for PWDs that address their specific health and development needs.
The DOH, in coordination with DSWD, DOLE, NCDA, LGUs, other relevant government agencies, and non-government organizations.
The DOH, with coordination among agencies, shall maintain an updated database on PWDs and their health and development needs.
The LGUs, PhilHealth, NCDA, and other relevant government agencies must submit their data on PWDs to the DOH.
PhilHealth, in consultation with DOH, DSWD, DOLE, NCDA, and national leagues of LGUs, must promulgate the IRR within three (3) months upon effectivity.
The IRR is to be promulgated by PhilHealth in consultation with DOH, DSWD, DOLE, NCDA, and various national leagues of LGUs.
All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof that are inconsistent with RA 11228 are repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
RA 11228 takes effect after fifteen (15) days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
It is mandatory; PWDs are “automatically covered” under the NHIP, meaning coverage is not dependent on their manual enrollment under the law’s scheme (subject to implementation details in IRR).
It refers to PhilHealth benefit packages designed to address the specific health and development needs of PWDs.
Section 2 (Monitoring and Evaluation) specifically addresses oversight and requires the DOH to maintain an updated database and receive data submissions from LGUs, PhilHealth, NCDA, and other agencies.
It includes concrete obligations. Examples: automatic coverage of PWDs; national government payment of premiums (with employer-sharing in the formal economy); PhilHealth development of exclusive PWD packages; DOH-maintained updated database; and issuance of IRR within three months.