City government implements new guidelines for medical aid

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Government cuts in half the amount of medical assistance that city residents may avail of annually.

Residents used to be given P10,000 worth of medicines per year, which they could claim from participating pharmacies at P5,000 every six months.

But under the new guidelines, residents will only be entitled to P5,000 worth of medicines per year. They are, however, still entitled to an annual P25,000-subsidy in case they get admitted in a hospital.

The City changed the guidelines after an unanticipated surge of residents wanting to avail of the program.

Marivic Alolod, administrative officer II and in-charge of the approval of applications, said that they resumed the dispensing of medicines last Monday in four city pharmacies. These are the Pro-poor pharmacy, Del Pharmacy, Dominique Pharmacy and Pro-Inay pharmacy.

Pro-Inay pharmacy was just added to the list of partner pharmacies. The City Hospitalization Assistance and Medicine Program (CHAMP) is inviting more pharmacies to partner with the City in this program.

Alolod said that they resumed the operation because the City has put in another P30 million for its implementation.

The P30 million for the medical assistance will be included in the Supplemental Budget No. 4, which the Council is expected to approve during its next session.

The P30 million is to fund the program up to the December this year.

Alolod said that they are expecting the budget to last only up to December.

Should they run out of budget again before December, Mayor Michael Rama assured that he will allot more funds to continue the program, she revealed. The City Government suspended the medical assistance for out-patient beneficiaries early this month to give priority to in-patient applicants. — THE FREEMAN