City starts giving PhilHealth cards

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City government will start today the distribution of PhilHealth cards to 5,830 indigent families in 13 barangays for their hospitalization.

City Public Information Officer (PIO) Florito “Carlo” Dugaduga said PhilHealth cards would be given free to more than 38,000 indigent families of the city.

The city had appropriated P22 million for this purpose, shouldering P600 or half of the P1,200 annual membership payment for each beneficiary.

The other P600 would be shouldered by the national government.

Dugaduga said the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) will distribute the PhilHealth cards to 448 beneficiaries in Barangay T. Padilla and to 391 beneficiaries in Barangay Tejero at 9 a.m. today.

The distribution of the 1,531 PhilHealth cards for beneficiaries in Barangay Tisa and 295 in Labangon will be held tomorrow morning, while those in Pahina Central and Ermita would be on Friday.

On Saturday morning, the distribution of PhilHealth cards will be in barangays Sinsin, Sudlon 1 and Sudlon II.

Distribution in barangays Sapangdaku, Guadalupe, Hipodromo and Carreta will be on Tuesday.

PhilHealth will shoulder at least one third of the patients’ billings that will be deducted by the hospitals from the patient’s obligation.

PhilHealth will only refund the hospital of the amount.

Mayor Michael Rama said enrolling indigents to PhilHealth without the need for them to pay any amount would greatly help them once they need medical care. –(FREEMAN)