Capitol tie-up with PhilHealth, LGUs get SP nod

By Florence F. Hibionada

The Iloilo Provincial Government will soon see an official tie-up with all Iloilo towns and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) following Tuesday's approval as sought in the Iloilo Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP).

Contained in Committee Report No. 129, the Committee on Ordinances, Legal Matters and Inter-Government Relations moved to recommend for the tie-up stating it found the request "laudable by making health and social services available to all marginalized and underprivileged citizens of the province at affordable cost."

The SP body's nod gave the go-signal for Governor Niel Tupas, Sr. to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with PhilHealth and all municipalities throughout Iloilo Province.

The MOA as obtained by The News Today disclosed the adoption of an "integrated and comprehensive approach" to health development aimed at making essential goods, health and social services available to the locals "at an affordable cost."

The MOA further establishes joint responsibility of the government -- provincial and municipal -- alongside PhilHealth in providing for a basic package of needed personal health services specifically the marginalized and underprivileged as designed by the program.

As such, PhilHealth is primarily tasked to collect corresponding program funds to finance the national government premium subsidy for qualified beneficiaries. The Province for its part is expected to provide continous allocation of funds as the Province's counterpart subsidy while the concerned LGU is also tasked to do the same in the 80% premium counterpart.

The MOA also looks into the creation of a "PhilHealth Trust Fund" by the Province out of the established PhilHealth Capitation Fund (PCF) acting as the fund manager.

"It shall hold in trust in behalf of cities and municipalities," excerpts of the MOA provision stated. "Such amount maybe combined with PhilHealth hospital benefit payments accruing to PhilHealth Accredited Provincial Hospitals. Provided that, the disbursement of PCF and hospital benefit payments shall be accounted for separately."