Key points
- Private hospitals can accept GLs, but only if they partner with or agree to honor that agency's GL.
- PCSO MAP GLs work only at PCSO Partner Health Facilities; DOH MAIFIP is mainly for government and partner hospitals.
- PhilHealth and discounts are deducted first; offices assess the remaining balance.
- Prepare a medical abstract, signed SOA, valid IDs, barangay indigency certificate and an authorization letter.
- Apply before discharge and combine GLs from DSWD, PCSO, LGU and legislators.
Confined in a private hospital and the bill is too big? You can still get a guarantee letter (GL) or medical assistance from government offices like DSWD AICS, PCSO MAP, your LGU, or a senator’s or congressman’s office. The catch: the private hospital must agree to honor that GL, and that usually depends on whether it is a partner or accredited facility of the agency. There is no fixed deadline, but apply while the patient is still admitted or before you settle the bill.
Last verified: October 12, 2026, against the PCSO Medical Access Program page, the PCSO Citizen’s Charter, the DSWD website and PhilHealth.
Do private hospitals accept guarantee letters?
Many do, but not all, and not for every agency. A GL is a promise from an office to pay part of your bill directly to the hospital. Whether a private hospital accepts it depends on its arrangement with that office:
- PCSO MAP: PCSO issues GLs addressed to its Partner Health Facilities (PHFs), which include government and private hospitals. If the private hospital is not a PCSO partner, the GL can’t be used there. The online MAP system makes you pick the partner facility from a list.
- DSWD AICS: The GL is addressed to the specific hospital or pharmacy named in your request. Private hospitals can be covered, but the hospital still has to agree to accept it.
- DOH MAIFIP / Malasakit Center: Mainly for patients in DOH hospitals, government hospitals with a Malasakit Center and partner facilities. Don’t expect it at most private hospitals.
- LGU, senators and congressmen: Usually GLs addressed to the hospital. Acceptance depends on the hospital and the office’s own partner list.
PhilHealth comes first
Agencies usually look at the balance after PhilHealth and other mandatory discounts (senior citizen, PWD) are deducted. Make sure the hospital has applied PhilHealth before you request the statement of account you will submit. If your PhilHealth is inactive, ask the hospital’s PhilHealth desk about point-of-care enrollment.
Documents to prepare
- Medical abstract or medical certificate signed by the attending doctor (with license number)
- Statement of account (SOA) or hospital bill, signed by the billing officer, showing PhilHealth deductions
- Valid ID of the patient and of the representative
- Barangay certificate of indigency, and a social case study report if the office asks for one
- Authorization letter if someone else is applying for the patient
- Request or application form of the office (for PCSO, the MAP Application Form)
- For PCSO: an endorsement or acceptance letter from the hospital that it will honor the PCSO GL, plus official quotations for medicines, implants or procedures when applicable
Each office may add its own items, so ask for its checklist before you go.
Step by step: how to get a GL for a private hospital bill
- Ask the hospital first. Go to the billing office or Medical Social Service office and ask which GLs they honor (PCSO, DSWD, LGU, senators, party-lists) and if they have a GL acceptance letter.
- Get PhilHealth applied and request an updated SOA plus a medical abstract.
- Get your barangay certificate of indigency and prepare IDs and an authorization letter.
- Apply to the office. DSWD AICS: walk in at a DSWD Central, Field or Satellite Office, or book through the eGovPH app where available. PCSO MAP: apply online through the MAP Online Application System, choosing your partner hospital, or for NCR email the documents to ncrmap@pcso.gov.ph. LGU: go to your city or municipal social welfare office or the mayor’s office. Senators and congressmen: send your request to their medical assistance desk.
- Interview and assessment. A social worker reviews your case and decides the amount.
- Receive the GL (printed or emailed). For PCSO, print the GL and the MAP form.
- Submit the GL to the hospital billing office together with the documents it asks for. The amount is deducted from your bill and you pay the remaining balance, or stack another GL.
Tips to make it easier
- Apply early, while the patient is still admitted. Some offices won’t help once the bill is paid.
- Prepare several photocopies of every document; each office keeps its own set.
- Combine sources: one GL rarely covers a big private hospital bill, so you can stack DSWD, PCSO, LGU and legislators’ GLs, as long as each office allows it.
- Ask the hospital to update the SOA after each GL so the next office sees the real balance.
- If the hospital won’t accept a GL, ask whether transfer to a government hospital with a Malasakit Center is safe for the patient.
Questions people ask
Can I get a GL if I’m already discharged?
Sometimes. PCSO’s requirements mention a promissory note if the patient was discharged with a balance. Other offices may decline once you’ve left, so apply before discharge whenever possible.
How much will the GL cover?
There is no fixed nationwide amount. Each office decides after assessment and depending on available funds.
Is the GL given as cash?
No. A GL is paid directly to the hospital. Some LGUs and DSWD may give cash in certain cases, depending on assessment.
What if the private hospital is not a PCSO partner?
The PCSO GL can’t be used there. Try DSWD AICS, your LGU or a legislator’s office, and confirm with billing first.
Source
PCSO Medical Access Program page; PCSO Citizen’s Charter (2025); DSWD; PhilHealth.
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