City of San Fernando — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in cooperation with the provincial government through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) convened a meeting recently with the social workers and local officers to discuss the newly approved ‘‘point of service’’ policy, which provides benefits to indigent non-member patients.
Representatives from the Medical Social Workers (MSW) group, Local Social Welfare Development Officers (LSWDOs), Administrative Officers (AOs), and 4Ps leaders attended the meeting held at the Benigno Aquino Hall, Capitol Compound the other day.
Michelle C. Lopez, provincial PhilHealth coordinator, said the meet was aimed to educate and reiterate to Filipinos, especially the marginalized sector that congress has allotted P3-billion to cover the premium payments for non-member patients who are identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as indigents.
She said the fund allotment is included in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for FY 2017 and will cover all Filipino citizens who are yet to be members of the state insurance agency.
“Filipino citizens who will be covered under this provisions, through a Point of Service (POS) Program, must be classified as financially incapable to pay his/her PhilHealth membership according to the DOH classification of indigents, while those non PhilHealth member patients with the capacity to pay for membership fee shall be registered with options of whether to pay the annual premium (currently P2, 400) to immediately avail of benefits or the No Balance Billing (NBB) or not pay the annual premium and just be advised on regular premium payments for future benefit availment.” said Lopez.
The PhilHealth coordinator explained that members who availed the program shall be included in the PhilHealth membership database for possible inclusion in the list of beneficiaries whose premiums are to be shouldered by the national government.
Should the actual cost of availment exceeds the amount appropriated, she said there is still no cost for the non-members. “This will still be sourced from the savings of the national government or as accounts payable.’’
Lopez said PhilHealth will bill the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) of the actual cost chargeable to the fund allotment on a quarterly basis.
Elizabeth B. Capuli, provincial chief social insurance officer, Dexter Maglalang, officer-in-charge of membership section branch A of PhilHealth, and Elizabeth E. Baybayan, provincial social welfare and development officer also graced the occassion.
By: Aida B. Bungue
