Indigent residents in Consolacion get PhilHealth coverage

CEBU, Philippines - More than 1,000 indigent residents in Consolacion town became beneficiaries of the medical assistance program of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation as identified by the Pantawid Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Mayor Alegado said a number of residents in the town cannot afford hospitalization and hopes the program of PhilHealth and DSWD will address the problem.

The partnership, enshrined in a joint order signed by the agencies, aims to further heighten the level of awareness of all “Pantawid” beneficiaries of their PhilHealth benefits through the Family Development Seminars conducted by DSWD’s municipal/city links.

Pantawid beneficiaries are covered by PhilHealth as sponsored members until December 2013.

The beneficiaries are issued Member Data Record and PhilHealth Identification Numbers which will serve as their pass when availing of health care benefits at any accredited facilities in the country.

Philhealth officials said as sponsored members, they are entitled to full benefits including the recently introduced case rate payments for 23 medical and surgical cases wherein they no longer need to pay in excess of the PhilHealth set benefits in government facilities. (FREEMAN)