ILOILO – PhilHealth region 6 held “Philhealth Forward” last August 6, 2019 in Robinsons Pavia to showcase their Expanded Primary Care Benefit (EPCB) providers, new out-patient benefits, recent innovations as well as anti-fraud initiatives. Philhealth’s President and CEO, BGen. Ricardo C. Morales, was also present in the activity, gave a short message before heading out to the airport to fly back to Manila.
More Facilities
Additional 8 facilities are now added to the current roster of 2 hospitals namely, Qualimed Hospital and Sebaste Community Hospital in Antique, that are accredited EPCB Providers. The new providers are as follows:
- The Health Centrum Hospital in Roxas City, Capiz
- South Bacolod General Hospital and Medical Center in Bacolod City
- San Carlos Doctor’s Hospital in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental
- Saint Gabriel Medical Center in Kalibo, Aklan
- Metro Iloilo Hospital in Iloilo City
- Don Jose Monfort Hospital Medical Center in Barotac Nuevo, iloilo
- Aklan Baptist Hospital in Malay, Aklan
- Holy Mother of Mercy Hospital in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental
With these new facilities, availing the benefits of EPCB is now more accessible. Coverage includes those who have diabetes, hypertension, acute gastroenteritis, upper respiratory tract infection and pneumonia and also those who need maintenance drugs. This can be availed by all members and their qualified dependents under the formal economy, lifetime members, as well as senior citizens.
Expanded & New Benefits
Three additional packages are added to Philhealth’s Z-Benefit namely for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG), Closure of Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), Cervical Cancer, and External Prosthesis for Lower Limbs.
The Western Visayas Medical Center sealed its partnership with PhilHealth for the management and care for packages in CABG, VSD, and TOF procedures.
Below are the benefit rates for each procedure.
| Procedure | Rate |
| CABG* | ₱ 550,000 |
| VSD* | ₱ 250,000 |
| TOF* | ₱ 320,000 |
| Cervical Cancer** Low Dose Brachytherapy Cobalt or Surgery | ₱ 120,000 |
| Cervical Cancer** High Dose Brachytherapy Linear Acceelerator | ₱ 175,000 |
*standard risk elective surgery, strictly following selections criteria for the said conditions
** strictly following selections criteria for the stage of CA
PhilHealth also introduced the new Outpatient Benefit for Secondary Prevention of Rheumatic Fever with a rate of 12,000 per year. This disease, arising from unprevented throat infection or tonsillitis caused by the streptococcus bacteria, is the fourth leading cause of adolescent mortality in the country.
Initiatives & Innovations
- Text BPN (Benefit Payment Notice) in an initiative of PhilHealth wherein instead of sending the Benefit Payment Notice to the members who availed a package or benefit thru post or “snail” mail, it will be sent via a text message. This initiative which already started in other regions is adapted here in Western Visayas to easily receive the notice of how much the members have availed, which they can easily compare with their statement of account. PhilHealth can be notified immediately for any discrepancies.
- PhilHealthRIDES or the Responsive Information Dissemination and Education Service is a noble initiative of Philhealth 6 wherein their employees whose passion is biking willingly volunteers to ride to remote areas around the region to orient members on their benefits, update their profiles and also enroll new members. They recently conducted this activity in Buenavista, Guimaras and its 35 barangays.
Atty. Dennis DJ Guevara from Philhealth’s Legal unit talked about their anti-fraud initiatives. To cap the event, Walter Bacareza gave his closing message: “We are not a corrupt agency,” referring to the recent issues of corruption being thrown at them.
With these new developments, hopefully more citizens in all walks of life can avail better health care for a better life./PN
