Project Laan: Fighting Poverty through Health

For families earning just enough to meet daily needs, a medical emergency can be the spark that leads to debt, which can lead to financial ruin. This medical emergency comes in many forms: caesarean delivery, freak accident, infection from a contagious disease or illnesses from loved ones who are approaching their twilight years. This is where insurance comes in to help.

In its most basic form, subscribing to health insurance involves paying a monthly fee based on the insurance provider’s assessment of your health risk. In exchange, when you suffer from an illness, part of your expenses will be covered by health insurance. It is important to read the terms and conditions governing the plan, before you decide on your provider. Many companies offer health insurance coverage as part of their compensation package to employees. The Philippine government also mandates Philhealth coverage for employees.

Philhealth is a government-owned and controlled corporation tasked to lead the National Health Insurance Program, which aims to minimize the costs felt by Filipinos who avail of health services, medicines, tests and hospital bills. Philhealth packages subsidize the service of health care professionals, use of room, bed, and facilities when confined, diagnostic, laboratory, and other medical tests prescriptions, drugs, preventive services, and the Maternity Care Package for pregnant women.

However, many people who need insurance the most, especially those living in the 2nd Quintile of the population, do not have the means to avail of health insurance. Most of these people earn just enough to get by. Thus, a group of students of the Ateneo de Manila University Health Sciences Program led by their thesis adviser, Dr. John Wong, M.Sc., formed Project Laan, which aims to collaborate with “health for all” efforts in local communities, organize young health leaders, advocate “health for all” through social media, and enroll families to Philhealth.

Project Laan’s business model involves three steps: Raise it, Invest it, and Prove it. Money is raised through a social network, a community of donors who receive regular updates about the benefits of their donations. This cash raised is then invested in to the PHIC premiums of the Q2 population in target LGUs. The money raised from the SN will be used to leverage local government unit (LGU) performance and to motivate good health behavior from families. LGUs will be required to accredit their health centers and to provide the OPB package services to the members. The insured families will be incentivized (through a commitment to renew their PHIC membership) to avail of a package of evidence-based preventive services (e.g., blood pressure screening). Finally, the third step aims to document the successes of the program to encourage more donors to step in and be part of the social network. Moreover, the third step encourages donors to continue giving. According to the website of Project Laan, 100 families have been covered by the initiative in their first sponsored community – Barangay Pansol in Quezon City.

What is unique about Project Laan is that it was and is still is a youth-driven venture by concerned students. I personally believe that academics and research can be used to help society, only if faculty members encourage this kind of collaboration. If you are interested to donate to Project Laan, you may check their website http://www.projectlaan.org/home/.