Butuan official attests: PhilHealth’s ‘No Balance Billing’ program is for real
By Niña Jonalyn B. Gambe-Diamante
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Barangay Kagawad Louie G. Giberson of Bayanihan, Butuan City, has attested to the effectiveness of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) No Balance Billing (NBB) program after availing of the benefit for his medical treatment outside the Caraga region.
In February 2026, Giberson underwent a Computed Tomography (CT) scan, which revealed a mass in his prostate. Determined to seek immediate therapy, he and his family consulted PhilHealth to verify if the NBB program could cover the procedure.
PhilHealth personnel confirmed that the therapy was included under NBB and could be availed in accredited hospitals nationwide. For Mindanao, four hospitals were accredited for the treatment. Giberson’s family chose a facility in General Santos City, a 12-hour trip from Butuan.
For 31 days, Giberson underwent therapy sessions lasting 9–10 minutes each. Daily billing statements reflected charges of around P11,700 per session, excluding other hospital fees. By the end of his treatment, his total bill reached P580,000. Under the NBB program, however, Giberson was not required to pay any amount.
“In my experience, I can really attest that the no balance billing is true. I thank the national government under the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for this initiative. Can you imagine a Caraganon like me going to another region and a stranger, but still being able to avail of such benefits? This just goes to show that PhilHealth’s no balance billing applies to everyone, regardless of where you are from,” Giberson said.
PhilHealth’s No Balance Billing (NBB) program aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision of accessible and affordable healthcare for all Filipinos, ensuring that members can avail of medical services in accredited hospitals nationwide without incurring out-of-pocket expenses, regardless of which region the patient came from. (NJGD, PIA Caraga)
