ILOILO City – Beneficiaries of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) in Western Visayas have availed themselves of more than P5.7-billion health insurance benefits as of September this year.
In the first three quarters of 2018, PhilHealth released a total amount of P5,791,919,432.25 to pay the medical claims of its members in the region.
In 2017, the agency has released a total amount of P6,657,127,850.40.
PhilHealth regional vice president Lourdes Diocson said a “significant” chunk of the PhilHealth funds was given to “the vulnerable members of the community” – the indigent and senior citizen members.
Indigent members got more than P1.6 billion worth of health insurance benefits while the senior citizens, more than P1.2 billion.
“Aside from the in-patient and out-patient services availed by the indigent program members, the corporation is also providing free preventive healthcare services through the rural health units accredited as primary care benefit provider,” said Diocson.
She added: “Preventive services include consultation, breast and digital rectal exams, BP measurement, and visual inspection with acetic acid wash.”
Under PhilHealth’s No Balance Billing (NBB) policy, indigent and senior citizen members are not required to pay for their confinements – provided they are treated in government hospitals in a ward-type accommodation.
The province of Iloilo has the most number of claims paid amounting to more than P2.3 billion, followed by Negros Occidental with P2 billion and Capiz with more than P0.5 billion.
Around 94.29 percent of the total population in Region 6 are now PhilHealth members.
“We aim to achieve a universal health coverage in the entire region that is why we have intensified our campaign for enrolment through our regular conduct of Alaga Ka activities and Benepisyong PhilHealth campaign,” said Diocson./PN
