Disaster areas urged to avail of PhilHealth program

CEBU, Philippines - Local government units in Yolanda-ravaged areas are urged to apply for Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s “point-of-care” (POC) enrolment program to help improve their basic health facilities.

The League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Cebu Chapter will also pass a resolution asking PhilHealth to accommodate LGUs hit by calamities like the super typhoon Yolanda and the magnitude 7.2 earthquake both in 2013.

San Remigio Mayor Mariano Martinez said the POC will help their poor constituents seek treatment even without financial resources.

 He said some LGUs in the National Capital Region that were struck by last year’s disasters have already availed of this program.

 “We are also qualified to avail the POC considering that we were victims of Yolanda. Ngano wala man na diri?” he asked.

 San Remegio was one of the towns in northern Cebu that were badly affected by Yolanda.

Leonard Castañeda, head of PhilHealth Mandaue City branch, promised to bring the matter to PhilHealth top officials.

 “Basic policy is enrolment through accredited government hospitals. But the general policy is wala pa naabot down to local government units,” he added.

 POC targets non-members belonging to Class C-3 or D confined in government hospitals as stipulated in PhilHealth’s Circular 3, s-2013 which took effect November 29, 2013.

 Castañeda said POC will also benefit existing members not currently eligible for financial protection due to lack of qualifying contributions and who were also classified as Class C3 or D.

 He said qualified patients and their dependents shall be provided with PhilHealth coverage under the Sponsored Program.

Their premium contributions shall be borne by the government facility provided they are certified poor by the medical social worker at the time of admission.

Beneficiaries entitled to PhilHealth benefits include inpatients, outpatients (except primary care benefit) and those under the No Balance Billing policy in which patients shall no longer pay the balance of hospital charges, if any.

Under the rules, those qualified using the intake survey sheet prescribed by the DOH shall be enrolled and paid for by the sponsoring hospital in the amount of P2,400, valid “from the first day of the confinement month and shall end on the last day of the same year.”  (FREEMAN)