Philippine Lawmaker Files Bill to Extend HMO Coverage to All Public School Teachers
Key Takeaways
- •Marikina Representative Miro Quimbo filed House Bill No. 11603 to extend HMO coverage to all public school teachers under the Department of Education.
- •The bill mandates that DepEd acquire the healthcare coverage through competitive bidding from a licensed and accredited HMO operating a nationwide network of hospitals and providers.
- •Proposed benefits include outpatient consultations, laboratory and diagnostic procedures, inpatient and emergency services, annual physical examinations, and mental health services such as psychiatric or psychological consultations and therapy.
- •The HMO coverage would serve as an additional benefit layered on top of teachers' existing medical assistance from DepEd, not a replacement.
- •Before enactment, the measure must clear committee review and floor deliberations in the House, gain Senate approval with matching versions from both chambers, and receive the President's signature.
A Philippine lawmaker on Monday filed a measure seeking health maintenance organization (HMO) coverage for all public school teachers under the Department of Education (DepEd).
House Bill No. 11603, filed by Marikina Rep. Romero “Miro” S. Quimbo, would require the DepEd to procure the healthcare coverage through competitive bidding from a licensed and accredited HMO with a nationwide network of hospitals and healthcare providers. Competitive bidding is a procurement method in which qualified providers submit offers and the contract is awarded through an open evaluation rather than direct negotiation.
The proposed coverage would include outpatient consultations, laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures, inpatient services, emergency care, and annual physical examinations. It would also cover mental health services, including psychiatric or psychological consultations and therapy.
Mr. Quimbo said in a statement that the proposal would expand teachers’ access to healthcare without reducing or replacing their existing medical assistance and benefits from the DepEd.
The bill would make the HMO coverage an additional benefit for public school teachers, who often shoulder medical expenses while performing responsibilities beyond classroom instruction, including preparing reports, monitoring student progress, and participating in school activities. In practice, HMO plans of this kind typically allow members to access accredited hospitals and clinics directly, with the HMO settling covered services rather than the member paying upfront and seeking reimbursement.
According to Mr. Quimbo, more dependable healthcare access could encourage teachers to seek preventive care and treatment earlier while reducing delays and out-of-pocket expenses.
HMO coverage is commonly provided by private employers in the Philippines as a supplementary health benefit on top of PhilHealth, the state-run national health insurance program. Teacher welfare has a long legislative history in the country, beginning with the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (Republic Act No. 4670), a 1966 law that established working conditions and benefits for public school educators.
If approved, House Bill No. 11603 would still need to clear committee review and floor deliberations in the House of Representatives, secure passage in the Senate, and receive the President’s signature before becoming law. Because the Philippines has a bicameral legislature, enactment would ultimately require both chambers to approve matching or reconciled versions of the measure.
Source: BusinessWorld Online
