MANILA - The recent uproar over PhilHealth's proposed lavish 30th-anniversary celebration has stirred memories of the country's first foray into government-sponsored healthcare: the Medicare Plan of 1969.

Established under Republic Act No. 6111, Medicare aimed to provide medical care to all Filipinos through a phased approach. The initial phase covered employees of the Social Security System (SSS) and Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), while the second phase extended coverage to the general public.

Key features of the Medicare Plan included:

Freedom of Choice: Beneficiaries could select their preferred doctors and hospitals.
Comprehensive Coverage: The government covered hospitalization expenses, including medicines and doctor's fees.
However, full implementation faced delays. The first phase began in 1972, following the appointment of Dr. Pacifico Marcos, the president's brother, as PMCC chair.

Subsequent years saw revisions to the healthcare system. Presidential Decree No. 1519, issued during martial law, aligned Medicare with the "New Society" policies.

Eventually, the National Health Insurance Act of 1995 (R.A. 7875) established PhilHealth, the current government health insurer, which inherited many of Medicare's principles.

While the PhilHealth controversy has generated heated debate, it serves as a reminder of the long journey towards universal healthcare in the Philippines, beginning with the ambitious goals of the Medicare Plan over five decades ago.