Senior citizens told: Register with PhilHealth to access UHC benefits

HEALTH officials in Central Visayas are urging Filipinos, especially senior citizens, to register with PhilHealth to fully access benefits under the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law, emphasizing that while all Filipinos are considered members, registration remains essential to receive services.

Jenet Ann Advincula, chief of the Field Operations Division, clarified that senior citizens are automatically covered by law but must still visit a PhilHealth office to be issued an identification number.

“What ‘automatic’ means is that they still need to go to the PhilHealth office so they can be issued a PhilHealth number,” Advincula said, noting that the agency does not have complete records of seniors’ personal details such as birthdays and addresses.

She said the process is simple: seniors only need to present any valid government-issued ID and fill out a registration form.

Under the Expanded Senior Citizens Act, they are exempt from paying premiums.

Once registered, seniors may choose a Yakap clinic where they can access consultations, laboratory services, and medicines.

Doctors may prescribe maintenance drugs, and patients may avail themselves of medicines worth up to P20,000 per year through the program.

For non-senior members, Advincula said contributions depend on the capacity to pay.

“If they have the capacity to pay, there is a premium to be paid… Five percent of their declared income,” she said, adding that indigent members may be tagged as financially incapable upon presenting certification from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, exempting them from premium payments.

Meanwhile, Dr. Maria Eliza A. Batucan, chief of the Health Care Delivery Management Division, reiterated that registration is crucial to access services under the Yakap or Yaman ng Kalusugan Program, which now includes medicines and cancer screening.

She reported that Central Visayas currently has around 274 Yakap clinic providers across Cebu, Bohol, Negros, and Siquijor, with more facilities applying for accreditation.

“Once a member is registered, their first patient encounter is recorded,” Batucan said, explaining that doctors assess medical history and screen patients for conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and hypertension.

She added that Yakap clinics offer consultations and 13 laboratory test including complete blood count, creatinine, chest X-ray, and HbA1c commonly used for outpatient cases like cough, colds, asthma, and gastrointestinal illnesses.

Patients may also access 21 essential medicines at Yakap clinics for common conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and fever.

For drugs not available on site, Batucan said members may obtain them through accredited pharmacies under the Gamot program, which currently covers 54 medications.

As of now, there are 64 accredited Gamot providers in Central Visayas, five each in Negros and Bohol, with the majority located in Cebu while expansion efforts continue in Siquijor.

Health officials stressed that proper registration ensures Filipinos can maximize their healthcare benefits, from preventive screening to medicines and financial protection. (ABC)