Senator Angara files free annual check-up bill

Senator Juan Edgardo M. Angara filed Senate Bill 2297 or the proposed Free Annual Medical Check-Up Act which seeks to provide free annual medical check-ups to all Filipinos to allow early detection of serious ailments.

According to Angara, many Filipinos do not seek medical care in their lifetime or only do so when they are already at a critical stage, and that many of them resort to traditional healing because they are poor.

“Undergoing annual medical check-ups are considered essential especially at this time when we are facing a pandemic that has already resulted in the deaths of over 20,000 individuals and the infection of close to 1.4 million in our country,” said Angara.

“Early detection of potentially deadly ailments such as heart diseases or diabetes can save lives,” he added.

Under the bill, Filipinos will be entitled to free annual medical check-ups provided by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. The state insurer will have a system in place to secure accommodation for everyone.

Filipinos can avail themselves of free check-ups for the entire year.

SOURCE: Business World