DOH to Exclude Kamote Riders in Gov't Hospital Zero-Billing Policy

The Philippines is among the countries with the highest rates of road crash injuries and fatalities in Asia and worldwide. Many of these incidents are preventable through defensive driving, adherence to traffic rules, basic road courtesy, and discipline.

However, risky behaviors by reckless drivers (kamotes as we called them), such as driving while intoxicated, not wearing helmets or seatbelts, and the sheer lack of discipline, often lead to road accidents.

To address this, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa plans to exclude traffic violators from the government’s zero-balance billing program in Department of Health (DOH) hospitals. The measure, he said, aims to discourage reckless behavior and promote compliance with traffic laws.

“Today, I’m announcing that if you are admitted because you are not wearing a helmet, you are not wearing a seatbelt, you're drinking, you are now disqualified from the zero balance bill,” Herbosa declared on September 11.

The zero-balance billing policy enables qualified patients admitted to DOH hospitals under ward accommodation to receive treatment without incurring out-of-pocket expenses. It is promoted as a universal benefit for all Filipinos, regardless of income. Herbosa’s proposal, however, creates an exception by excluding those found violating traffic rules.

Health reform advocate Tony Leachon warned that the move undermines the principle of universal health care. He argued that care should not differ between those at fault and those harmed.

“This disproportionately affects low-income individuals who may already lack access to private care. It also risks punishing those who may have made a mistake but still deserve humane treatment,” Leachon said.

Herbosa clarified that the rule applies only to violators, not to innocent victims. Road crash victims admitted under basic accommodation in DOH hospitals will continue to be covered.

DOH spokesperson Albert Domingo explained the rationale: public funds should not pay for the medical costs of people who knowingly break traffic laws.

“Ang tanong, kapag hindi tayo sumusunod sa batas at mayroon tayong mga kapuso na nasaktan na na-injure na sila naman ay sumusunod. Tama ba na binabayaran natin ‘yung mga hindi nasunod sa batas?” Domingo said in an interview with DZBB 594.

He emphasized that violators will still be treated, but will shoulder their own hospital bills.

Leachon, however, raised concerns about implementation. He stressed that due process must be observed before labeling a patient as a violator. Instead of exclusion, he suggested recovering costs through legal or insurance channels.

“Universal Health Care must remain universal. It cannot be conditional on moral judgment or presumed fault. Otherwise, we risk turning hospitals into courtrooms — and care into punishment,” he said.

The DOH’s move comes as road crashes continue to claim lives daily. In 2023, an average of 35 people were killed each day. By July 2025, the Online National Electronic Injury Surveillance Data reported 5,083 road injuries, two-thirds of which involved motorcycles. Nearly nine in 10 cases involved riders without helmets, while over 200 involved drunk drivers.

Domingo also stressed that road incidents should not be called accidents. “These are crashes with clear causes, often linked to traffic violations,” he said, adding that details of the new policy are still being finalized.