February is National Health Insurance Month
The month of February is considered as National Health Insurance month as per Presidential Proclamation 473.
It was in February 14, 1995 that the National Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) was established thru RA 7875 to administer the national health insurance program that gradually took over the Medicare functions of GSIS and SSS, and the OWWA.
In line with this, PhilHealth Regional Office (PRO) VI and all its Service Offices, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Sara, Bacolod, Sagay and Kabankalan will conduct series of activities. These include award launching of Best Medicare Section among the accredited hospitals, Orientations of Health Care Professionals, PhilHealth fora and others.
PRO VI has 621,662,000 total number of members as per cumulative record (government employees; 182,793 private-employees; 103,566-Individually Paying members; 19,603 Non-Paying members; 4,499-OWP members and 153,023 Sponsored-Indigent members not to count the qualified dependents averagely five per member like their spouse, children and parents.
As to claims benefits, PRO VI paid 1.02 billion pesos in year 2005.
PhilHealth grants qualified members with access to quality health care services especially during confinement in any of the accredited medical facilities nationwide. Among these in-patient benefits are allowance for hospital room and board fees, for drugs and medicines, for x-ray and other laboratory fees, for use of the operating room complex, as well as for the professional fees of attending physicians.
Benefits may also be availed of by members on an out-patient basis for such procedures as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, cataract extraction, and minor surgical procedures.
The first members are employees in the government and private sectors, who are mandatorily covered by PhilHealth. The premiums are deducted from employees' monthly salaries, and employers must remit these, together with their counterpart share to PhilHealth promptly and accurately. The Employed Sector Program helps ensure that PhilHealth benefits are enjoyed by the working population when they are most needed.
PhilHealth also caters to the elderly sector of society. Retirees who are at least 60 years old and have made 120 monthly contributions to PhilHealth enjoy lifetime coverage, without having to pay any premium anymore. This privilege enables them to enjoy the most of their golden years.
In October 2000, PhilHealth paved the way for budding entrepreneurs, self earning professionals, members of the agricultural sector, writers, actors and media reporters to gain health insurance coverage through Individually Paying Program. At a very minimal premium to be paid at the end of each calendar quarter' voluntary members may enjoy the same medical care services that their formally employed counterparts are entitled to.
At the heart of the NHIP is the provision of health insurance coverage to the less privileged members of society. Through the joint efforts of PhilHealth and the local government units, as well as private companies and individuals, families belonging to the lowest 25 percent of the population are able to access hospitalization and out-patient benefits. This program is a show of genuine concern to the plight of the poor.
The health care needs of Filipino contract workers overseas are now managed by PhilHealth. OFWs that are confined abroad are entitled to hospitalization benefits, as long as their eligibility certificates are active. Families of OFWs are similarly entitled to the benefits, a privilege that truly brings peace of mind to our modern-day heroes.
At age 11, PhilHealth pursues its mandate of universal coverage to every Filipino wherever situated. This celebration has a theme, PhilHealth: Lalong tumatatag, laging maaasahan. (Larry T. Tabsing)