Guidelines expanding medical assistance to indigents to be out soon - DOH

The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday, Jan. 17, said it will release new guidelines for the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) before the end of February, in line with a stricter policy banning the use of guarantee letters from elected officials to pay hospital bills.

- By JEL SANTOS

“Bago magtapos ang Pebrero, ilalabas ng DOH ang bagong guidelines ng Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients o MAIFIP (Before the end of February, the DOH will release the new guidelines for the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients or MAIFIP),” DOH spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said in a radio interview.

He said the updated guidelines are anchored on President Marcos’ directive prohibiting guarantee letters from elected officials in settling patients’ hospital bills, a policy now institutionalized under the 2026 national budget.