A major driver of inequity is the high cost of accessing and using health
care. The Philippines has had a national health insurance agency –
PhilHealth – since 1995 and incrementally increased population coverage,
but the limited breadth and depth of coverage has resulted in high-levels
of out of pocket payments. In July 2010 a major reform effort aimed at
achieving ‘universal coverage’ was launched, which focused on increasing
the number of poor families enrolled in PhilHealth, providing a more
comprehensive benefits package and reducing or eliminating co-payments.