Preventive Community Medicine

Corda, Hermileen L. MED - 1

IS THE DEVOLUTION OF HEALTH SERVICES THE SAME WITH UNIVERSAL

HEALTH CARE? IF NOT THE SAME, WHAT MAKES THEM DIFFERENT?

In attaining the highest possible quality of health care distributed to each and every
Filipino, Universal Health care and Devolution of heath care services, provide the same purpose.
They are the same in principle, but not in method.

The Universal Health Care Law (R.A. 11223) guarantees all Filipino Citizens the National
Health Insurance Program, and proposes complementary reforms in the health system. It provides
Citizens the full range of health services, with protection from financial suffering. It lowers health
care charge where in the government manipulates the cost of medication and medical services
through negotiation and regulation. However, UHC also bids disadvantage. It forces healthy
people to pay for others’ medical care, while it can be considered an act of kindness, it can also be
a burden. Also, people may not be as cautious with their health, since they don’t have the incentive
to do so. The community may also abuse physicians and emergency services. UHC accounts long
wait times. Since the Government limit payment to keep costs low, doctors may have less incentive
to provide quality care, and limitation of services may occur.

The Devolution of Health Care is a system wherein it revolves on the idea of administrative
decentralization. Under this system, all structure, personnel and budgetary allocations from the
central and provincial health level are devolved to the local government units (LGU) to facilitate
health service delivery. LGU carries the responsibility of delivery of basic health services. The
aim of decentralization is to broaden decision making, develop resource allocations from central
to peripheral areas and to improves the efficiency and effectiveness of health services
management.

These two health care system, have analogous aims and goals which is to distribute quality
heath care, but they are different in means and implementation. UHC law affixes on financial
security. Devolution of health care, on the other hand, centers their system on decentralization, for
health service opportunities for peripheral populations to be accessible.