PhilHealth cites 8 Iloilo LGUs for universal coverage

PhilHealth cites 8 Iloilo LGUs for universal coverage
By: Larry T. Tabsing

PhilHealth recognized 8 local government units in the province of Iloilo for enrolling more than the targeted poor families for universal coverage to the National Health Insurance program.

The Municipality of Bingawan topped as the most number of sponsored indigent households of 274% followed by San Enrique (208%) and Mina (203%).Then Concepcion, Barotac Viejo, Banate, Batad and Badiangan. All of their mayors personally received the recognition except for Concepcion and Batad.

There are about 18 LGUs that have enrolled more than the targeted poor families but PhilHealth on this focused on LGU initiated universal enrollments less the provincial and legislative sponsorship.

There are about 90,859 poor families in the Province (based on the 2006 NSCB data net of the 21,204 poor families in Iloilo City). As of December 2008 there were already 70,982 poor families enrolled into the Program (inclusive of the provincial, municipal and legislative enrollment). About 19,877 poor families needs to be enrolled into the program, which is now the target to cover before October 2009.

Regional Vice President Alberto C. Manduriao said that the intention of the Program is to ensure that the poor will have free access to quality health service and make the members and theirs dependents feel they are secured. “In times that someone in the family get sick they are assured that they can get quality health care services in any of the PhilHealth accredited health care facilities and confident that their hospital bill will be taken cared of”, he noted..

Addressing the Local Chief Executives RVP Manduriao stresses, “Through you, their local official, you have given them back their sense of dignity as a human being for they will no longer be afraid or ashamed of entering a hospital if they need medical service”.

Manduriao challenged the health workers asking why PhilHealth member has to go to the hospital when the illness can be prevented and treated in the RHU. “Baka walang tiwala mga tao magpagamot sa RHU dahil siguro, wala lagi si Doc? Wala o kulang ang gamut at mga gamit sa RHU, masungit ang nurse? O baka naman walang health program sa RHU kaya ganun!, he surmised. “We still believe that Health is Good Governance; Health Good Investment and Health is Good Politics”, he stressed.

Under the Sponsored - Indigent Program, in every family a LGU enrolled, PhilHealth pays back P300 as Capitation payment to augment their budget or fund for health services; ensure that indigents are given quality out-patient service in the RHU. The 80% of the Capitation fund to purchase drugs, medicines, medical, laboratory and dental supplies, equipment and even for the repair and renovate your health facility if necessary.

RHU can be accredited under the 3 in 1 scheme - the OPB, MCP and TB-DOTs. PhilHealth is paying an additional P4,500.00 for every normal delivery (member can claim up to 4 normal spontaneous delivery), P1,000.00 for the new-born care package and P4,000 for every treated TB patient.

Infact, the amount due to the different LGUs in Iloilo as Capitation payment is P15.5M , but paid only P1.76M not because it does not have the money but simply because certain Municipal Health Officers and Municipal accountants are not submitting the required monthly Reports and the Capitation utilization report which are pre-requisite to support the release of the remaining P13.8M.
The recognition was done during the Semana sa Iloilo at the Provincial Health sponsored Hospital Operations and Services awards.