The Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) will stage a massive open registration this September in response to President Benigno Simeon Aquino’s marching orders to attain universal Philhealth coverage in three years.This was disclosed by Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona in a press briefing today explaining that the nationwide registration shall take place by setting up Philhealth desks in public schools, municipal halls and all DOH-retained hospitals nationwide.
“In keeping with P-Noys promise to give each and every Filipino access to quality healthcare in three years time, your Philhealth will open its doors across the country to reach out to the very poor Filipinos identified through the National Household targeting System – Proxy means test (NHTS-PMT) of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and considered as true indigents,” Ona said.
Meanwhile, Philhealth President and CEO Dr. Rey B. Aquino also disclosed that all Philhealth regional and service offices and government as well as premiere commercial centers nationwide will also hold registration for non-members.
The state-run health insurance program was made a priority item in the new Administration’s health agenda which aims to hit 100 percent of the Philippine population within three years.
Secretary Ona who currently sits as the Chairman of the Philhealth Board, has organized a multi-sectoral task force to set things into motion and realize president Aquino’s directive the soonest time possible.
Ona himself heads the said task force which is composed of the DOH, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
The DILG shall help the DOH engage local chief executives in the enrolment of indigents in their respective jurisdictions as identified by the DSWD while DepEd shall help create Philhealth desks in all public schools to encourage students and their parents to register and become Philhealth members.
The activity aims to enrol the remaining Filipino citizens who are at least 21 years of age and non-members of the program. It is also open to 18 to 20 year olds who may need to register; existing contributors who are still unregistered; those not issued their Philhealth Number Card or Family Health Card yet; and those already registered but who may want to update their membership profile with Philhealth.
The program mainly targets those from the self-employed and informal sector who comprise some 53 percent of the population and of which a substantial portion can afford to pay for health insurance as individually paying members (IPMs). On the other hand, the low income as well as those without the means to pay shall benefit from sponsorships where the national and local governments and other sponsors shoulder the premiums for their annual coverage.
Targeted citizens are also enjoined to go to any of Philhealth’s 17 regional offices and close to 100 service offices in their locality.
“We are also tapping other means such as online registration via our website; via texting using their cell phones; in malls and other commercial centers; and through our partners such as Local Government Units, government hospitals and colleges and universities to ensure that they will be able to register with ease and convenience,” Philhealth President Aquino explained.
Upon registration, enrolees will be advised to activate their membership by paying the required contribution of at least Php 300 for a quarter or Php 1,200 for a year’s payment at any accredited collecting partners nearest them. A duly activated membership and completion of all eligibility requirements shall entitle a member and his/her qualified dependents medical care subsidies when confined in accredited hospitals anywhere in the country.
“I encourage all Filipinos, especially Philhealth non-members, to go out and avail of this opportunity to be registered with Philhealth and secure financial protection that they will need in times of emergencies and medical situations in the family,” Secretary Ona concluded.
For more details on the open registration, the public may log on to www.philhealth.gov.ph
No comments:
Post a Comment