PhilHealth Inks MOA with the Bureau of Corrections September 18, 2012

THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) recently entered into an agreement with the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) for the enrollment of some thirty-six thousand one hundred eleven (36,111) inmates into PhilHealth's Partial Subsidy scheme Program.

Enrollees to the program are inmates of the seven (7) Prison and Penal Farms managed by BuCor namely: (1) New Bilibid Prison, Muntinlupa City; (2) Correctional Institution for Women, Mandaluyong City; (3) Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro; (4) Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm; (5) Leyte Regional Prison, Abuyog, Leyte; (6) Davao Prison and Penal Farm, Davao del Norte; and (7) San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm, Zamboanga City.

Under the MOA, the Bureau of Corrections shall fully or partially subsidize the premium contributions of its identified beneficiaries. Aside from payment of premium contributions, it shall also ensure the accreditation or contracting of public health institutions and facilities under its jurisdiction in accordance with the accreditation standards of PhilHealth.

The signing ceremony held at the Director's Quarters of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City was led by PhilHealth President and CEO Dr. Eduardo P. Banzon and Bureau of Correction's acting Director Gaudencio Pangilinan.

Also present from to witness were Atty. Edgardo Julio Asuncion, SVP for Legal Sector, Mr. Greg Rulloda, VP for Corporate Affairs Group and Mr. Ruben John A. Basa , VP for NCR and Southern Luzon area.

Banzon stressed the importance of PhilHealth membership not only to the inmates but as well as of their families.

"Extending PhilHealth benefit to these inmates shall eventually provide them the peace of mind having the assurance that the health of their family is well taken cared of while they are serving their prison term."

BuCor is an agency under the Department of Justice mandated to carry out institutional rehabilitation programs of the government for national offenders and to ensure their safe custody, and further mandated to provide national prisoners human basic needs in the prison environment and to implement a variety of rehabilitation programs designed to change their pattern of criminal or anti-social behavior. (END)