Sunday, August 24, 2008 Negrenses assured of affordable health insurance
INDIGENT families in Negros Oriental are assured of an affordable health insurance program through the Provincial Health Insurance of Negros Oriental (Phino), which addresses the high cost of medical treatment and healthcare.
Phino is backed up by a provincial ordinance not only as legal basis but also as an expression of the provincial legislators' strong support.
In its launching and health covenant signing with local chief executives early this week, Vice Governor Jose Baldado said the ordinance cannot be influenced by politics but provides equal access and quality health services to all.
Phino prime mover, Dr. Ely Villapando, stressed the need for a commitment.
He said the Provincial Government will offer P15 million for the medical services, and the city or municipal governments will offer P600 per registered indigent at the start of the enrollment year as initial seed fund.
Villapando added that the three congressional districts will provide P5 million per congressional district from Priority Development Assistant Fund (PDAF) as counterpart funds for its indigency program.
The amount would be utilized for the provision of quality drugs for hospitals and Rural Health Units (RHU) in their respective districts.
Negros Oriental Governor Emilio Macias II meantime strongly pushed local health insurance in the province rather than being dependent on the Philippine Health Insurance.
Macias said that special attention would be placed on the establishment of health insurance, which is designed to have all indigent patients in the province covered by free hospitalization services.
Macias chided the existing Philhealth, saying benefits covered are very insufficient and the processing of reimbursement of claims is delayed. (EBS)
