IN its bid to help achieve universal coverage by February 2010, the regional unit of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) intends to get more indigents to enroll with them this year.

According to Philhealth 7, Central Visayas recorded only 53 percent of the nearly 400,000 registered low-income members in
the region.

“Not all local government units have enrolled (all) their indigents in our program. Some have enrolled only half of the total number. Philhealth is planning to get the other half enrolled this year,” said Philhealth 7 assistant vice president William Chavez.

This “aggressive” campaign to get more enrollees is part of Philhealth 7’s goal to achieve 85-percent coverage in Central Visayas by October this year.

This is the same percentage target set by the national office of the government health insurance provider at the national level.

In an interview last week, Chavez said Philhealth 7 has attained this 85 percent mark or more than six million of the region’s population. However, Philhealth has to continually monitor the expiration dates of the health cards given to indigents last year.

The indigent program is an insurance plan for the poor that is shouldered by the local government unit and the National Government.

As of the end of 2008, Philhealth reported that 3.3 million indigent families or 16.5 million beneficiaries nationwide have been enrolled in the sponsored program.

Meanwhile, Philhealth has increased by 35 percent its member benefits. The increase, which became effective starting April 5, covers professional fees, room and board, drugs and medicine, X-ray, laboratory and operating rooms, depending on the category—whether primary, secondary or tertiary—of the hospital where the member is confined in.

Chavez considers the member benefit expansion as a “good” strategy to help members cope with the global financial crisis.

It is also meant to encourage more people to become Philhealth members.

He cited a patient who availed himself of P10,000-worth of Philhealth benefits during a six-day hospitalization before the effectivity of the increase. When the patient was hospitalized again last April 9 to 17, and received about P27,000-worth of Philhealth benefits.

Philhealth 7 will also put up a satellite office in Mandaue City this year to cater to existing and potential members in Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Cordova, and northern area of Cebu.

As of 2008, there are 1,531 private and government Philhealth-accredited hospitals in the country, 92 of which are in Central Visayas. There are also more than 21,000 Philhealth-accredited professionals nationwide.