(PNA file photo)
ILOILO CITY – The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has urged its members here to register and avail of the Konsulta package that offers a preventive benefit deal.
This outpatient package includes consultation, laboratory examinations, and drugs and medicines with prescriptions, which are free for members and their dependents, provided they register and avail of it in a government hospital-provider or a personal co-pay of PHP500 in a private provider.
"It is an outpatient package that provides primary health care services, like consultation, laboratories, drugs, and medicines that are free," Janimhe C. Jalbuna, head of PhilHealth 6 (Western Visayas) Public Affairs Unit, said in an interview Friday.
Jalbuna said they could avail of this program once they register with a government provider of their choice.
For this year, of the 2,008,260 target PhilHealth members in Western Visayas, only 75,450 have registered for the Konsulta package. Under this program, PhilHealth has so far paid PHP84,000 to health providers.
Jalbuna also said the program covers not only the members but their dependents as well, and they are entitled to 13 diagnostics laboratory tests, and 21 kinds of drugs and medicines, depending on the prescription of an attending medical officer.
"They have to register because, under this program, they have to choose their desired provider. Unlike before, they will be automatically enlisted in the region where they belong,” she added.
The region has 99 Konsulta providers and 21 more are being processed.
Members can register in two ways. One is through geographical registration where local government units enlist their constituents subject to their confirmation; and the other is online registration through the members portal.
PhilHealth hopes that 50 percent of the estimated eight million population of Western Visayas would register next year. (PNA)
