Wherever you are, we are within reach.

To further reach and serve its increasing number of clientele, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is tapping government agencies to help extend its services closer to all its members.

On its 20th year celebration with the theme “Ensuring Universal Coverage for All Filipinos,” the country’s health insurer formally forges ties with the Senate of the Philippines and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to provide an avenue through which it can intensify its information dissemination campaign on the National Health Insurance Program.

“We are very fortunate that our fellow public servants are one with us in making our goal of universal health care more attainable by extending their services to our members and prospective members as well,” said PhilHealth President and CEO Alexander A. Padilla.

Under the agreement, both the Senate through its Public Assistance Center, and the PCSO shall provide an appropriate space that will serve as the venue of the off-site PhilHealth office. The agencies shall also provide personnel that will extend assistance to all walk-in clients with PhilHealth concerns.

“As PhilHealth advocates, we will make sure that personnel from both agencies shall undergo necessary trainings to be able to perform their functions effectively,” Padilla said.

The said personnel will be closely coordinating with PhilHealth through its Corporate Action Center for a systematic referral procedure to address concerns of walk-in visitors. PhilHealth shall also provide the needed facilities that are essential to effectively carry out their task as PhilHealth advocates.

The off-site offices will provide frontline assistance such as membership verification and status updates of claim refund while acceptance of PhilHealth Member Registration Forms from new members will initially be implemented at the Senate.

For the past years, PhilHealth has built a strong presence in strategic places to further provide accessibility to all Filipinos. To date, PhilHealth has 60 PhilHealth Express, 17 Regional and 112 Local Health Insurance Offices, 5 branches and 577 PhilHealth Customer Assistance, Relations and Empowerment Staff (CARES) deployed in 728 hospitals nationwide.

“I can say that PhilHealth is everywhere, but we assure our members that this will not stop here. We will continue to find ways on how to reach and assist our members even to farthest places in the country,” Padilla said.

PhilHealth services will soon be available at the Senate and PCSO Quezon City office Mondays to Thursdays, 8:00 am to 7:00 pm and Mondays to Fridays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, respectively. (END) (Michelle S. Nisperos)