EASY ACCESS. Philippine Health Insurance System-Baguio chief social insurance officer Janet Palaez, during the "Ugnayan" organized by the city’s Public Information Office on Wednesday (April 6, 2022), says 10 of the 17 rural health units in the city and two in Benguet have been accredited. The accreditation will allow the facilities to cover the fees under the "Konsulta" package of the health insurance agency without going to the hospital. (Screenshot of the FB live of the forum)
BAGUIO CITY – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) accredited 10 of the 17 rural health units in Baguio, and two in Benguet, giving residents the option to claim medical benefits without going to hospitals.
“Pwede na silang maka-avail ng benefits under PhilHealth at hindi na kailangan na pumunta at magbyahe pa sa hospital kung meron at kaya ng rural health unit ang medical services na kailangan nila (They can avail of the benefits of PhilHealth without going to the hospital if the rural health units can provide them the medical services they need),” Janet Palaez, chief social insurance office of PhilHealth-Baguio, said during the “Ugnayan” of the city’s Public Information Office.
She said 10 district health centers in Baguio – Irisan, Lucban, Atok Trail, Pinsao, Pacdal, Camp 7, City Camp, Aurora Hill, Asin, and Pinsao, each covering different multiple barangays – can already provide services under the “Konsulta (consultation) package” of the Philhealth.
In Benguet, there are two facilities accredited by PhilHealth.
Hospitals in all the region's provinces, government and private alike, have already been accredited by the social health insurance agency.
Palaez also said they have started to accredit other private health facilities like laboratories, clinics, and even dental clinics so the public can avail of their different medical service needs with the help of PhilHealth.
She said the program is part of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law passed in 2019 to make access to health benefits and services easier.
“Under UHC kasi gusto natin na lahat ng Pilipino mabigyan ng health services kaagad kaya nag-a-accredit tayo ng rural health units para makapagbigay sila ng serbisyo kaagad at maipasok sa PhilHealth and benepisyo ng community (Under the UHC, our goal is to give all Filipinos immediate medical services. That is why we are accrediting rural health units to allow them to provide the service that will be covered by the PhilHealth benefit package),” Palaez added.
As of 2021, Baguio has logged a 104-percent Philhealth enrollment rate.
Palaez, however, clarified that the enrollment in Baguio includes the out-of-town patients who go to the different medical facilities and register to avail of the benefits.
Under the guidelines, an individual who reaches the age of 21 must register as an individually paying member. A person with disability regardless of age remains dependent on a parent member, while senior citizens are automatically covered by PhilHealth due to their age. (PNA)
