OFWs can now check Philhealth account by text

Overseas Filipino Workers can now check their accounts as well as that of their family members through TxtPhilHealth even while they're abroad.

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will start offering its new "TxtPhilHealth" service to overseas Filipino workers and their families, essentially expanding the reach of services to areas with large concentrations of Filipino workers.

TxtPhilHealth allows users to use short messaging service (SMS) to check their identification, remittances, and other benefits from the government's health and medical benefits agency.

PhilHealth Vice President for Membership and Contributions Gregg Rulloda said, they are working with the Overseas Worker Welfare Administration (OWWA) to get a database of all OFWs working abroad.

Currently, there are about half a million OFWs registered in OWWA. "We'll add this to the 100,000 registered OFWs that have applied for PhilHealth services," Rulloda said.

Rulloda said PhilHealth-registered OFWs can get their claims through the Philippine embassies in countries where they are located.

PhilHealth Chief Operating Officer Lorna Fajardo said they will be officially introducing TxtPhilHealth to the OFWs though some can already use the service as long as they are PhilHealth members.

"Soon, OFWs can check their remittances through our website (www.philhealth.gov.ph)," Fajardo said.

Fajardo said Philhealth started pilot testing the service in February last year in cooperation with Smart Communications, Globe Telecom and Sun Cellular as mobile partners.

To use the service, PhilHealth members must type in their queries with their personal details to 296 for Smart and 2960 for Globe and Sun Cellular users.

PhilHealth hopes to attract more than half of its 64 million of its members who have mobile phones to use the service. - Jasmin R. Uy