CFO and Advocates Promote Medicare Portability for Filipino-Americans in the Philippines

The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) is advocating for U.S. Medicare portability in the Philippines, aiming to encourage Filipino-American retirees to return and positively impact the local economy. CFO Secretary Dante Ang II and advocate Eric Lachica emphasize the benefits of this initiative, which could lessen U.S. healthcare costs while bolstering the Philippines’ position as a medical tourism destination.

In Manila, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), alongside the Department of Health, the Philippine Retirement Authority, and Filipino-American advocacy groups, is advocating for the portability of U.S. Medicare and Medicaid benefits in the Philippines. CFO Secretary Dante Ang II highlighted the proposal as a beneficial situation for both nations, aiming to attract more Filipino-American retirees back to the Philippines, which would enhance the local economy.

CFO Secretary Dante Ang II stated, “Why CFO is doing this? It is because we want the Filipinos overseas to consider returning home. At the CFO, we want to reverse the narrative from brain drain to brain gain.” He expressed confidence in the initiative, declaring that it could not only serve as an economic stimulus for the Philippines but also aid the U.S. by reducing healthcare costs.

Ang emphasized that enabling Filipino-American citizens to access healthcare in the Philippines would lower U.S. Medicare expenses while boosting the economic growth of the Philippines. Eric Lachica, a lead advocate from the lobby group U.S. Medicare Philippines Inc., reported momentum in the U.S. Congress, with the introduction of a bipartisan bill entitled H.R. 7442, or the Philippines Medicare Portability Study Act.

Lachica shared statistics from the U.S. Social Security Administration, revealing that more than 35,000 American seniors aged 65 and older were receiving Social Security payments in the Philippines as of July 2022. He noted that Medicare portability could encourage an increase in Filipino-American retirees in the Philippines, enabling them to save on healthcare costs while contributing to the local economy.

Lachica expressed his personal desire to retire in Dumaguete, his father’s hometown, stating, “I have been very passionate about this because many of our elderly nurses and doctors want to retire here. Seventy percent of Filipinos in America, especially Generation 1.0 of the 60s and 70s, want to return to the Philippines in their hometowns and invest their golden age dollars here.”

Addressing the challenges posed by current U.S. Medicare laws, Lachica explained that losing U.S. residency after staying more than six months in the Philippines results in the termination of Medicare coverage. Therefore, a change in U.S. law is essential to grant long-term coverage.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa noted that this initiative aligns with the Philippine government’s strategy to reverse the brain drain trend. He asserted that the return of highly skilled Filipino healthcare professionals could significantly enhance the country’s medical sector, referring to aging nurses from the 1970s who could contribute their expertise back home.

Secretary Herbosa remarked, “Some of our nurses that left in the 70s are also aging, so they come home, I call it return migration because these nurses are now highly trained in high-quality healthcare that can train my younger nurses, actually, they can still teach.” He also pointed out that some Filipino-American doctors have returned to the Philippines and engage in pro-bono work to support the government’s Universal Healthcare goals.

Lachica mentioned the potential financial benefits for the U.S. healthcare system, as the high cost of healthcare and impending federal budget cuts could make Medicare portability essential. The CFO believes this initiative could position the Philippines as a top medical tourism destination while providing Filipino-American retirees with affordable and effective healthcare options.

The push for U.S. Medicare portability in the Philippines, supported by various government and advocacy groups, aims to attract Filipino-American retirees and mitigate the impact of brain drain. This proposal promises to provide significant economic benefits for both countries, allowing retirees to access affordable healthcare while potentially reducing costs for the U.S. healthcare system. The success of this initiative could transform the Philippines into a prominent medical tourism hub if the proposed changes in legislation are enacted.

Original Source: www.pna.gov.ph