News
Arroyo declares Feb 8 to March 8 as NHIP Month - March 03, 2006
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has declared the period February
8 to March 8, 2006 as National Health Insurance Program (NHIP)
Month.
Through Proclamation 994 issued on February 8, Arroyo recognized
the need for the continuous enrolment of less fortunate Filipinos
into the NHIP to enable them to gain access to high quality
medical care benefits. The NHIP is being administered by the
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) which celebrated
its 11th year last February 14.
The Proclamation also called for the aggressive health insurance
coverage of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to entitle them
to health care financing benefits anywhere in the world. Similarly,
their legal dependents in the country may avail themselves of
these benefits as long as the OFW-member’s PhilHealth
coverage remains active.
Lorna O. Fajardo, Officer-in-charge of the Office of the PhilHealth
President and CEO welcomed the Proclamation, saying it boosts
PhilHealth’s efforts to pursue its mandate of universal
coverage. "Not only will this help fasttrack our efforts
at enrolling more and more of our fellowmen; it also enlists
the support of various agencies of government and of the private
sector in providing health insurance coverage for the less privileged,"
she said.
Among these agencies are the Department of Health (DOH) whose
active support in all aspects of the campaign is enlisted and
the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) which is called
upon to include the module on PhilHealth in its orientation
programs for OFWs as well as collection of premium payments
both locally and through its labor offices overseas. The Overseas
Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) is tasked to include in
its Pre-Departure Orientation Seminars (PDOS) for OFWs the information
module on PhilHealth coverage and membership while the Philippine
Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) must include PhilHealth’s
premium payment in the issuance of Overseas Employment Certificates
or e-receipts to ensure that all out-going OFWs are PhilHealth
members.
Local government units (LGUs), on the other hand, are tasked
to primarily undertake the enrolment of indigent families in
their own localities into the Sponsored Program.
"We are pleased that no less than the highest official
of the land continues to recognize the importance of the NHIP
in restoring dignity among the less privileged sector, especially
where their health care needs are concerned," Fajardo
said. "We assure our members, both locally and overseas,
of our dedicated efforts at providing genuine public service
as called for by our mandate."