NAGA CITY, July 17 (PIA) --- PhilHealth beneficiaries can now be assured of a better service coverage under the agency’s expanded programs and improved access to health care providers.
During the Social Health Insurance and Education Series (SHInES) for the media of Camarines Sur held Wednesday at the Villa Caceres Hotel, Dr. Israel Francis A. Pargas, PhilHEalth OCI Vice President of Corporate Affairs Group, said the expanded program now also focuses on kidney patients who need to undergo hemodialysis sessions.
“Dialysis benefits paid by PhilHealth in 2014 ranked second from pneumonia. Given the immensity of those undergoing the treatment, we want to share another good news that the corporation has approved an extended dialysis session from 45 days to 90 days in a year. This will be a great relief to all our indigent patients who are meeting ends just to survive every dialysis session,” Pargas added.
For pneumonia cases alone, PhilHealth extended P7B to its beneficiaries in 2014. The corporation also paid a total of P4.5B for dialysis cases in the same year. PhilHealth members who want to avail of the package can go to any accredited Free Standing Dialysis Centers and hospitals nationwide.
Treatment of catastrophic cases like heart ailments, cancer and kidney transplant among others, were once delegated to contracted government facilities but recently, PhilHealth opened its doors to private hospitals to ensure that beneficiaries will have more available choices and accessible health facilities to attend to their needs.
Primary health care benefits which were once given to accredited health care centers and accredited out-patient clinics are now open to private clinics as part of PhilHealth’s expanded access to its patients, particularly to the indigents.
Members of the local media in Camarines Sur were also welcomed by PhilHealth Regional Office V Regional Vice President Orlando D. Iñigo, Jr. and acknowledged their potent force to disseminate and extend the information to their beneficiaries, particularly those families residing in the remote areas and provincial outskirts.
Some of the lectures shared to the media were The National Health Insurance Act of 2013 discussed by Dr. Shirley B. Domingo, PhilHealth OIC Area Vice President, Area II; Membership Program discoursed by PhillHealth’s Member Management Group OIC-Vice President Alberto Manduariano; and the New and Enhanced PhilHealth Benefits as discussed by Dr. Pargas.
Before the morning session ends, PhilHealth Corporate Communication Department Senior Manager Maria Sophia B. Varlez briefed the attendees on The Role of the Media in advocating in the National Health Insurance Program.
On the second day of the activity, PhilHealth President and CEO Atty Alexander A Padilla personally led the Turnover of READY, TSEKAP, Go simultaneous nationwide run (SiNaRu) 2015 Proceeds to the Naga City Children's Home and the Agta Tabangnon Tribe of Buhi, Camarines Sur.
PhilHealth was able to raise P1.1Million for the said beneficiaries. (MAL/LSM-PIA5/Camarines Sur)