Capitol’s health insurance program to include habal-habal, tricycle drivers

Thursday, February 23, 2012

THE Cebu Provincial Government announced it will expand the coverage of its health insurance program under the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth).

This time, it will include the health premiums of informal sectors like habal-habal and tricycle drivers.

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Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, in a recent chance interview at Dumanjug town plaza, said she will expand the coverage to informal sectors provided that they have an association.

This year, the Provincial Government has a budget of P68 million for Philhealth premiums, which is an increase by 35 percent compared to the previous year. In 2011, Capitol allocated P44.1 million.

Budget Officer Emmie Gingoyon, in a separate interview at his office, said the amount is for the barangay health workers, Bantay Dagat members and the informal sector, if the plan will push through.

Poorest

Records at the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) showed that last year alone, there were 154,050 families enrolled that were classified as the poorest of the poor.

Qualified beneficiaries may file and submit their application forms at the IPHO.

So far, there are 22,270 applicants for this year.

Among the groups who expressed their interest to become members of the program are the Solo Parents’ Association in Sogod town, Pedal Cab Association in Poro town of Camotes group of Islands, and a sari-sari store owners‘ association.

A certification from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) stating that the applicants are indigents is needed for a family to enroll.

Garcia also said that they may also enroll the fisherfolks and farmers in the Philhealth program, on top of their life and crop insurance.

Allocation

The project of the Provincial Government with the Philhealth started in 2005, with P11 million that enrolled some 35,000 indigent families.

The amount was used as Capitol’s counterpart fund for the annual premium of the enrollees from the Cebu’s towns and cities.

Philhealth signed a memorandum of agreement with the Provincial Government and town officials.

The members of the program, including their dependents, were provided with individual Philhealth cards.