“Gray hair is a glorious crown; it is found in the way of righteousness” (Proverbs 16:31). Even in the Bible, we can see that the Lord has a more gracious attitude toward aging than our youth-obsessed society does. The elderly are promised God’s continuing concern.

Last November 5, 2014, President Benigno Aquino III signed Republic Act (RA) 10645, amending RA 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens’ Act of 2010 by removing the qualification that a Senior Citizen (SC) has to be an indigent before being covered by PhilHealth. Under RA 10645, all senior citizens shall be covered by the National Health Insurance Program of PhilHealth. This was published on November 10, 2014 and took effect on November 25, 2014.

To ensure immediate enrollment of SCs in the 5th and 6th Districts of Pangasinan, we in the Eastern Pangasinan Local Health Insurance Office (LHIO), coordinated with the Office for Senior Citizens’ Affairs in every municipality and asked them to provide us with the lists of SCs in their areas using the prescribed format of enlistment. Immediately, they complied.

On January 15, 2015, we started to conduct Information and Education Campaign (IEC) and Member Data Record (MDR) distribution to SCs in the 5th and 6th Districts of Pangasinan. We decided to have this done in every barangay to make it easier and more convenient for the SCs especially those who were in remote areas. We went from one barangay to another to facilitate MDR distribution and to conduct IEC. The attendance in every barangay is overwhelming and the response coming from the SCs is heart-warming. I can feel how grateful they were for the PhilHealth coverage that was given to them - they keep on saying “thank you” and “pagyamanan mi” while I’m conducting the IEC. Not only did they show gratefulness; they were also attentive, they listen to every word I say. I could see in their faces how interested they were on the things I was telling them about. With this kind of crowd, I am truly inspired.

At the time we started to conduct IEC and MDR Distribution in various barangays, I gathered feedbacks from our accredited HCIs on the availment of SCs of PhilHealth Benefits. I was able to talk to the PhilHealth Clerks of different hospitals and they told me that there was an increase of SC patients which started in February. Staffmembers from the Outpatient Department of the different Health Care Institutions (HCIs) also told me that, before, when a senior citizen patient was advised for confinement, he/she refuses to be confined, obviously for financial reasons. But now, because they already have their MDR as Lifetime Members, they immediately agree to be confined when the doctor advised them to.

During one of our MDR distribution activities, I interviewed Rosario Arciaga, a breast cancer patient, and Babita Fernandez, a cataract patient; both are recipients of PhilHealth Lifetime Membership under RA 10645 and both have undergone surgery. Arciaga had undergone mastectomy of the right breast at one of the private hospitals in Baguio City, and had saved Php60,000.00 because of her PhilHealth membership. Fernandez also had the same experience when she underwent cataract extraction at one of the private hospitals in Urdaneta City. She was thankful because instead of paying Php17, 000.00, she only paid Php400.00 after presenting her MDR to the billing section. Indeed, PhilHealth’s program for Senior Citizens has made a positive impact in the lives of our beloved elders. (END) (Lovelle T. Valenzuela)