Senator Erwin Tulfo pushes for mandatory itemized hospital billing

Filipino patients are still encountering hospital bills that lack full itemization, especially for professional fees and other charges.

This makes it difficult for families to review and understand the total cost of medical care.

Senator Erwin Tulfo has this Introduced Senate Bill No. 1987, a measure that would require healthcare providers to issue standardized, itemized statements of account.

The proposal seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11223.

“There must be a higher standard when it comes to medical institutions. Yes, we understand that hospitals operate within financial constraints and must remain fiscally responsible, but accountability in billing should never be compromised,” he said during a privilege speech to be he delivered on March 3, 2026.

The proposed legislation mandates hospitals to provide a detailed breakdown of all charges, including facility fees, medicines, laboratory and diagnostic services, and professional fees of attending healthcare providers.

It also requires listing the names, specialties, and services rendered by medical professionals.

The bill further tasks the Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with PhilHealth, to establish a uniform billing format aimed at improving transparency.

Tulfo noted that the absence of a standardized billing system weakens patient protection and limits the ability of DOH and PhilHealth to properly evaluate hospital charges and align them with benefit coverage.

He said the measure aims to protect patients from unexpected and unclear medical expenses.

“In the end, the measure of a healthcare system is not found solely in its equipment, facilities, or balance sheets, but in how it treats the weakest among us,” he said.

The bill was filed on March 17, 2026, four days before the session break, and is currently pending before the Committee on Health and Demography.