News
Provincial Government of Albay Sponsors PhilHealth Membership
of 117,226 Indigent Families in the Province
- January 9, 2008
A total of 117,226 indigent families in the province of Albay have just been granted PhilHealth membership as Albay Governor Joey Salceda signed a Memorandum of Agreement with PhilHealth Regional Office V on January 9, 2008. These translate to 586,130 beneficiaries who will now be able to enjoy hospitalization and outpatient benefits for one whole year without having to pay any premium at all.
The said families are from the following cities and municipalities: Tabaco City (with 5,255 families); Bacacay (3,206); Malilipot (600); Malinao (1,716); Sto. Domingo (1,347); Tiwi (2,374); Legazpi City (9,827); Camalig (6,713); Daraga (7,510); Manito (2,927); Rapu-Rapu (4,730); Ligao City (11,182); Guinobatan (12,000); Jovellar (2,573); Libon (11,782); Oas (12,761); Pioduran (4,723); and Polangui (16,000).
Nevertheless, Governor Salceda assures that the figures do not stop here. The Provincial Government shall continue pushing for the PhilHealth coverage of even more qualified indigent families in the province so as to provide our less privileged brothers and sisters with quality health care assistance in times of sickness.
The province of Albay, having been considered a "calamity area," is the first in the country to avail of a "50% discount" in its premium counterpart payment for indigent sponsorship through the efforts of Governor Salceda. Hence, the universal coverage of less privileged families in the province is not far from being realized.
In addition, the Provincial Government of Albay and PhilHealth RO V signed a Memorandum of Understanding as well stating that the former shall endeavor to implement a project to be known as "Project Alis Excess sa District Hospitals ng Albay," wherein it shall create measures to provide free medical care to the underprivileged particularly by condoning the excess hospital charges of the beneficiaries in the aforesaid district hospitals. The district hospitals, as stated in the MOU, are as follows: Ziga Memorial District Hospital (Tabaco City), J.B. Duran Memorial District Hospital (Ligao City), Rapu-Rapu District Hospital. Pioduran Municipal District Hospital, and Pantao District Hospital. PhilHealth, on the other hand, shall assist the Provincial Government in disseminating information on the benefits of the project.
The PhilHealth IDs, which are set to be released next week shall entitle the said families to hospitalization benefits at PhilHealth-accredited hospitals. Among these benefits are subsidies for room and board fees, professional fees, drugs and medicines, and x-ray and laboratory tests. Furthermore, they can enjoy free consultation and check-up, the effectivity period of the IDs which are valid for one year starting from the date of issuance.
The PhilHealth Sponsored Program, also popularly known as the Medicare para sa Masa program, has been a big help to our poor countrymen who have no means of paying for steep hospitalization nowadays. In recent years, more and more deprived families in the country are given quality health care by the government through PhilHealth.
According to PhilHealth RO V Assistant Vice President Orlando D. Inigo Jr., "We anticipate that more Local Government Units will continue realizing the significance of enrolling their less fortunate constituents in PhilHealth, to provide them with decent health care services that they alone may not be able to afford. Also, with the MOU we have made with the Provincial Government on its Alis-Excess project, we are truly glad that our indigent members in certain areas will now be eased from the burden of paying the excess amount of their hospitalization expenses.."