As an initial step, a series of Information Caravan will be led by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) Region 8 as told to media by Regional Vice President (RVP) Dr. Leo Douglas Cardona, Jr. on March 11
According to RVP Cardona, they are set to hold Information Education Campaign (IEC) in rural health units and government hospitals in the region, starting off with Samar island’s health facilities down to the Leyte provinces.
“However, UHC will not be limited to government hospitals only. This is precisely the main focus of PhilHealth-8, in particular, to innovate that private hospitals may soon support or cooperate, after all, it is a law,” Cardona said.
“When President Rodrigo Duterte signed the law, it was his main agendum to provide quality, accessible and affordable health care to all Filipino citizens, thus, invitation is being made to private hospitals,” he added.
UHC grants every citizen eligibility with no lD required as they can access to preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative health service delivery.
‘No Balance Billing’ (NBB) is the word, when a patient can expect non-payment of hospital bills, only to some extent however, because when a patient opts to stay in a private room, that cannot be free of charge,” RVP stressed.
NBB provides that “no other fees or expenses shall be charged or be paid for, by the indigent patient, above and beyond the 'packaged rates' during their confinement period."
By package rate, means, there are certain items provided in the UHC which are granted to direct and indirect members, which is why the team will go around the region to explain UHC to implementers.
Further, UHC adheres to the Magsaysay maxim, that those who have less in life, should have more in law, that in the spirit of solidarity, those who can better afford, will have lesser discounts while the indigent ones would have more.
As to the professional health workers, they cannot be left out, contrary to some apprehensions with the implementation of UHC.
Asked what will happen to some monetary benefits that doctors and nurses used to get, out of their passion and hard work in caring for the sick, Cardona said they will still receive in order to incentivize them.
“They should stay put in their hospital service and render the much needed health service,” he said.
“Give to Juan what is due him,” the head doctor of PhilHealth said. “Health workers in the rural areas, particularly those in geographically isolated areas will still get additional benefits as may be determined by local health boards, others by DOH."
The once carefree lad of Eastern Samar but who later served the administrative functions of its LGU, now RVP Cardona confidently detailed to media that funds for UHC implementation will be sourced from PAGCOR (50 percent), PCSO (40 percent) the rest from members’ contribution and subsidies from Sin Taxes.
Lastly, he proudly shared that part of PhilHealth-8’s innovation is to tie up with Philippine Statistics Authority, LGUs and private hospitals soonest.
Source: (LDL/AEN/PIA-8
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