UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE. Junie Sabusap, head of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation in Antique, says on Tuesday (Sept. 3, 2019) that Antique is one of the four provinces in Western Visayas identified as advance implementation sites of the new Universal Healthcare Law in Western Visayas. He said that the UHC Law will make the healthcare services accessible to all. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique -- Antique is one of the four provinces in Western Visayas identified as an Advance Implementation Site of Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Law, which is just waiting for its Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR).
Junie Sabusap, who heads the Philippine Health (PhilHealth) Insurance Corporation in Antique, said Antique and the provinces of Guimaras, Iloilo, and Aklan will be given a special health fund or advance payment starting next year for the no balance billing (NBB) program of the state health insurance.
“So long as the patients are admitted at the basic ward, they could avail of the NBB or will have no out of the pocket payment,” he said on Tuesday.
He added the admitted patient at the basic ward means the patient is not in a private room with extra amenities like an air-conditioning unit.
“The funding that would be given by the PhilHealth in advance will also be managed by the local health board chaired by the governor in the province,” he said.
He said the funding will be utilized for the PhilHealth coverage for a year like the room and hospital supplies. As to how much, it will be determined in the IRR.
In preparations, the province is now in the process of forming the Healthcare Provider Network among the eight district hospitals in the province including the provincial hospital Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital in San Jose de Buenavista for its referral system.
“The patient upon the assessment of a doctor could be referred to another hospital that has the facility for the needed treatment,” he said.
He added the patient’s profile would be generated through the use of information technology so that all hospitals would be able to see his medical diagnosis for easy referral.
“The funding from PhilHealth will cover the different phases of treatment of the patient from the primary care hospital where he was first treated to the latest hospital that he was referred to,” he said.
Since the Antique Medical Center, a private hospital in Antique may have the facility needed by the patient, then they are inviting the hospital to also join the network.
“With the implementation of the UHC Law, all Antiqueños will soon have access to healthcare,” he said.
The UHC will also unclog the hospitals because the doctors would be able to refer the patients to other hospitals, which are not congested but have the treatment facility and capability. (PNA)
