| Cotabato
launches local health insurance program for indigents
 |
Gov.
Manny Piñol |
Caring
for the poorest of the poor in Cotabato found flesh with the
launching of the local health insurance program in the province.
Gov. Manny Piñol shared with his colleagues, during
the special general assembly held last March 7, the most recent
program of the provincial government to provide for the health
needs of its indigent constituents – the Cotabato Health
Insurance Program.
The program, which took about three years to conceptualize,
aims to provide and implement an applicable health benefit
package to poor constituents of Cotabato.
The CHIP works on top of Philhealth, which Piñol said
means that the program will cover whatever the excess amount
the patient needs to shell out after deducting the benefits
from the national health insurance.
“This will free our people, especially the poor families,
from the indignity of begging from local officials for financial
assistance in their medical needs. It will also unburden our
local governments who are spending millions for medical assistance
that is not even enough for the needs of every citizen who
has nowhere to go to but government,” he said.
Philhealth pays a maximum of P5,000 for ordinary cases and
P25,000 for catastrophic cases.
The governor explained that to avail of the CHIP, indigents,
which is categorized as Plan A-1, need only pay P100 every
year to have the entire family covered to a maximum of P75,000
in any government hospital in the province.
On the other hand, the politically persecuted constituents,
or Plan A-2, need only pay P600, and the provincial government
will put up a counterpart of P600 for them.
Non-indigents, professionals, self-employed and employees
may also enroll under the program, under Plan B, and pay an
annual premium of P1,600.
The governor explained that the program is really intended
to serve the indigent families who have no regular source
of income, and the non-indigent members are the ones who subsidize
the latter.
Coverage includes expenses for room and board; services of
health care professionals; diagnostic, laboratory, and medical
examination services; use of surgical or medical equipment
and facilities; and prescription drugs and biologicals. (AJS)
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