MANILA (February 22) – The Department of Health (DOH) reported on Saturday that at least 1.6 million patients have benefited from the Marcos administration’s Zero Balance Billing (ZBB) program.
Data from the agency show that the government covered hospital bills totaling PHP95 billion from July 2025 to January 2026 under the initiative.
The DOH said it plans to expand the program to include shared pay wards for PhilHealth direct contributors, such as middle-class employees. Currently, shared pay wards are not yet included in Zero Balance Billing.
Beyond DOH facilities, the program is also being prepared for implementation in select local government hospitals. Under ZBB, patients in DOH hospitals no longer need to pay for medical services, medicines, or doctors’ professional fees.
