By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY –– The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) on Monday (May 13) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to boost the country’s Universal Health Care (UHC) Law implementation and to promote the Konsulta Program (Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama) in the Philippines.
In a press conference at the Conference Room, PIA Building, Visayas Avenue, Quezon City, PIA Director General Undersecretary Jose A. Torres, Jr. said that formal partnership between PhilHealth NCR and PIA NCR was signed last year, and they took it upon themselves to make the partnership nationwide.
“With the MOU to be signed by PhilHealth and PIA will encourage all Filipinos to enroll as members of PhilHealth, who will benefit through their Konsulta Program, such that a PhP1.4- million package is available for breast cancer,” Torres said.
“We believe that we will reach up with our countrymen nationwide,” he added.
Torres, together with PIA Deputy Director General Katherine Chloe S. De Castro, Head of the Creative and Internal Affairs and PIA Deputy Director General for Regional Affairs Adolfo Ares P. Gutierrez are supervising 18 regions and 78 provinces nationwide.
Under the PhilHealth Konsulta program are consultative services for laboratory tests, however, if the physician finds that the patient is healthy, he will be asked to return in six months. The laboratory tests are also covered by PhilHealth, which involves 13 laboratory tests.
But if the patient is found to be unhealthy, PhilHealth Konsulta will provide for free anti-microbial, anti-diabetes, fluid electrolites, Salbultamol, anti-asthma, among others.
To be PhilHealth members, All Filipinos can enroll online, through the PhilHealth website, or through the PhilHealth Konsulta health providers.
Last Feb. 14, 2024, PhilHealth celebrated its 29th Anniversary and increased its case rates such as in Dengue from PhP15,000 to PhP30,000 and in nine medical conditions, 8,000 case rates are covered by PhilHealth, PhP8,000 of PhP10,400 to maternal health care program and the dialysis sessions have been increased to 156 sessions.
Breast case rate from PhP100,000 to PhP1.4 million.
The Hotline of PhilHealth is now 24/7 and open on holidays.
The MOU was signed by PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel R. Ledesma, Jr. and PIA Director General Undersecretary Jose A. Torres, Jr.
They were joined by PhilHealth National Capital Region (NCR) Vice President Bernadette C. Lico and PIA Deputy Director General for Regional Operations Adolfo Ares P. Gutierrez.
There are currently more than 2,161 Konsulta Package providers operating nationwide, PhilHealth, through its partnership, aims to expand its reach, initially targeting PIA personnel and their dependents nationwide.
The PIA will provide targeted communication support to ensure program implementation is efficient, guiding beneficiaries through enrollment and service utilization.
The collaboration builds upon a previous MOU signed by PhilHealth NCR and PIA NCR led by Regional Head Emver P. Cortez on Sept. 4, 2023, which focused on promoting the Konsulta program in Metro Manila and surrounding areas.
In his keynote message, PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel R. Ledesma, Jr. said that “maintaining healthy lifestyle is vital to our overall well-being.”
“PhilHealth supports the government’s program of providing healthcare program to all Filipinos.” Ledesma said.
“The Konsulta program aims to address health problems such as asthma, hypertension and other sickness,” he added.
“It is an utmost importance to inform the Filipinos of the healthcare program such as the Konsulta program which they can avail of,” Ledesma said.
“Everybody is covered 100 percent, where the indigents are prioritized. All 115 million Filipinos are covered,” he added.
“It was clear in the UHL, that the last increase (premium contribution) was this year. But the PhilHealth coverage increased for chemo dialysis at 156 sessions. 30 percent increase almost across-the-board and it may even increase to 60 percent,” Ledesma said.
Ledesma stressed that they have piloted the amount of PhP254 billion for payment this year. “Definitely, we have the money to increase the benefit packages and digitalization. We still have to move forward through the information dissemination, especially in the far-flung areas,” he said.
PhilHealth Vice President Bernadette C. Lico said that aside from Konsulta package, mental health case is also available with PhP9,000 or PhP16,000 health package, depending on the severity of the case.
By June 2024, two diagnostics such as mammogram and breast cancer will be included in the Konsulta program.
Under the Konsulta program, the present 21 will expand to 53 essential drugs and medicines, wherein PhP9,000 allowance per year to procure the essential drugs will be available for Filipinos. – By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
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