HEALTH INSURANCE. In a press briefing Thursday (February 20) in Butuan City, Philhealth Regional vice president Eduardo Gonzalez bares that over PHP1.8 billion worth of benefits has been paid to its members in the region as of December 2019. A total of 13 level-1 and 10 level-2 hospitals are accredited with Philhealth in Caraga. (PNA photo by Alexander Lopez)
BUTUAN CITY – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) in Caraga said over PHP1.8 billion worth of benefits were paid to its members in the region as of December 2019.
In a media forum on Thursday here, Philhealth Regional vice president Eduardo Gonzalez said a total of 2,532,053 members in the region are now covered by the health insurance program.
Gonzalez said of the total members of Philhealth in Caraga, which 8 percent are from the government, 15 percent from the private sector, 12 percent from the informal sector, and 3 percent are migrant workers.
‘In addition to our membership in the region, 7 percent are senior citizens, 3 percent are lifetime members, 7 percent are sponsored members, and 45 percent are considered indigent,” he added.
As of last year, the Philhealth in the area has already collected PHP1,383,111,000 where 31 percent came from the government, 24 percent from the private sector, and 23 percent from senior citizens, Gonzalez said.
Other sectors that contribute to the total Philhealth collections include 6 percent from lifetime members, 7 percent from sponsored members, 1 percent from migrant workers, and 8 percent from the informal sector, he added.
Philhealth has 778 accredited health care providers in the region, among them are 146 midwives, 157 medical specialists, 25 dentists, 142 general practitioners (GPs), and 109 GPs with training.
A total of 13 level-1 and 10 level-2 hospitals are also accredited with Philhealth in the area, Gonzalez said.
He added that 71 TB DOTS (directly observed treatment, short-course) centers and five animal bite centers are also accredited to Philhealth in Caraga, he added.
“This forum is aimed to provide the members of the media updates on the implementation of the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) of the government in the region,” Gonzalez said.
The gathering was also joined by representatives from the Department of Health in Caraga and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. (PNA)
