Health
Yes, You Can Get Treated For Free At These 87 DOH Hospitals—Here's How
Published on Aug 5, 2025
Getting hospitalized in the Philippines often comes with a sinking feeling—not just from illness but from the bill waiting at discharge—but did you know you can walk out without paying a single peso at Department of Health (DOH)-run hospitals? Yup, the zero balance billing policy is finally in effect.
Under this scheme, patients staying in basic accommodations at DOH hospitals won't have to pay at discharge. This includes hospital room fees, medications, laboratory tests, and even professional fees of attending doctors.
"Itinuloy na po natin ang zero balance billing. Libre po," President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said during his most recent State of the Nation Address (SONA). "Ibig sabihin, ang serbisyo sa basic accommodation sa ating mga DOH na ospital wala nang babayaran ang pasyente dahil bayad na ang bill ninyo."
Among the 87 hospitals implementing the program in Metro Manila are the Philippine Orthopedic Center, San Lazaro Hospital, and the National Center for Mental Health. You can find the full list of hospitals at the end of this article.
ADVERTISEMENT
How to get a zero balance billing at DOH hospitals
To avail, patients must clearly inform hospital staff that they want to access zero-balance billing and request basic or ward accommodation. Presenting a valid PhilHealth ID and a government-issued ID is required. Even those who aren't enrolled yet may still be eligible since hospitals are instructed to assist with PhilHealth registration upon admission.
The most important thing is to be admitted to a basic room. Upgrading to a private room or requesting an elective service—whatever is not medically necessary—will require you to pay out of pocket. Take note that zero balance billing also doesn't apply to government-owned and controlled specialty hospitals like the Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Lung Center, and the Philippine Children's Medical Center. Only DOH-managed facilities are covered for now.
"Basta 'wag lang kayo nasa private, kasi pag nagpunta ka sa private may bayad yung doctor, may bayad yung room. Basta nasa basic accommodation ka ng DOH, bayad na ang bill mo," DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa explained in 24 Oras.
Click to Enlarge
Photo: Facebook/Philippine Information Agency
ADVERTISEMENT
List of DOH hospitals in the Philippines
A quick disclaimer: While zero balance billing is meant to cover 100% of hospital costs for all patients in DOH hospitals, gaps in implementation—like medicine shortages, partial PhilHealth coverage, and poor patient communication—can still lead to out-of-pocket expenses. So be prepared for that in case it happens.
Here are the DOH hospitals that offer zero balance billing:
ADVERTISEMENT
Luzon
Metro Manila
Amang Rodriguez Medical Center
East Avenue Medical Center
Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital
Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center
National Center for Mental Health
National Children’s Hospital
Philippine Orthopedic Center
Quirino Memorial Medical Center
Research Institute for Tropical Medicine
Rizal Medical Center
San Lazaro Hospital
Tondo Medical Center
Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium
Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center
San Lorenzo Ruiz General Hospital
Valenzuela Medical Center
Region I - Ilocos
Conrado F. Estrella Regional Medical and Trauma Center
Ilocos Sur Medical Center
Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center
Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center
Region 1 Medical Center
Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center
Conner District Hospital
Far North Luzon General Hospital and Training Center
Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital
Region II – Cagayan Valley
Batanes General Hospital
Cagayan Valley Medical Center
Northwestern Cagayan General Hospital
Region II Trauma and Medical Center
Southern Isabela Medical Center
Region III – Central Luzon
Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center
Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center
Joni Villanueva General Hospital
Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital
Mariveles Mental Wellness and General Hospital
Talavera General Hospital
Region IV-A – CALABARZON
Batangas Medical Center
Maria L. Eleazar General Hospital
Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital
Region IV-B – MIMAROPA
Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital
Ospital ng Palawan
Region V – Bicol Region
Bicol Medical Center
Bicol Region General Hospital and Geriatric Medical Center
Bicol Regional Hospital and Medical Center
ADVERTISEMENT
Visayas
Region VI – Western Visayas
Don Jose S. Monfort Medical Center
Western Visayas Medical Center
Western Visayas Sanitarium and General Hospital
Region VII – Central Visayas
Don Emilio del Valle Memorial Hospital
Eversley Child Sanitarium and General Hospital
Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Medical Center
St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital
Cebu South Medical Center
Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center
Region VIII – Eastern Visayas
Eastern Visayas Medical Center
Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center
Negros Island Region
Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital
ADVERTISEMENT
Mindanao
Region IX – Zamboanga Peninsula
Basilan Medical Center
Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Hospital
Labuan General Hospital
Margosatubig Regional Hospital
Zamboanga Regional Medical Center
Sulu Sanitarium and General Hospital
Zamboanga City Medical Center
Region X – Northern Mindanao
Amai Pakpak Medical Center
Camiguin General Hospital
Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center
Northeastern Misamis General Hospital
Northern Mindanao Medical Center
First Misamis Oriental General Hospital
Region XI – Davao Region
Davao Occidental General Hospital
Davao Regional Medical Center
Southern Philippines Medical Center
Region XII – SOCCSKSARGEN
Cotabato Regional and Medical Center
Cotabato Sanitarium and General Hospital
SOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital
Region XIII – Caraga
Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center
Caraga Regional Hospital
Siargao Island Medical Center
This article originally appeared on Spot.ph. Minor edits have been made by the Cosmo.ph editors.