Press Statement:Maximization of PhilHealth Coverage

As the Vice Chairperson on Committee on Health and Sanitation, Hon. Eduardo D. Leyson IV is sharing this very important Press Statement Re: the maximization of PhilHealth Coverage in behalf of Hon. Marius Orlando A. Oco and Dr. Jose Orlando Acharon.

PRESS STATEMENT --- PLEASE READ AND SHARE
GSCH New Rates do not affect poor patients

Maximization of Philhealth Coverage

One of the main thrusts of SPPO No. 12-0853, Series of 2012, is to maximize the amount of Philhealth reimbursements arising from the services that the General Santos City Hospital (GSCH) renders to its patients. For instance, under the old scheme, the hospital daily room per day could go as high as P400.00. But since our previous room rate was only P180.00 per day, what the hospital could, then, reimburse from Philhealth was only THAT AMOUNT. But now, with the new rate, the GSCH can already reimburse P400.00 per day from Philhealth for the use of a hospital room, without exacting any amount from the patients. Entrenched in this scheme is an aggressive campaign to put all residents, especially the poor and the underprivileged, under the coverage of Philhealth in line with the Aquino Health Agenda (ATTA), calling for 100% Philhealth coverage.

Poor patients are not financially prejudiced

Poor patients, whether or not they are Philhealth members, are not financially affected by the increase in the rates of hospital services in the GSCH. They will pay almost nothing, or minimally, after they are classified as Class C1, Class C2, Class C3 or Class D patients. Under existing ordinances, Class C1 patients pay only 75% of the total hospital bills; Class C2, 50%; Class C3, 25%; and Class D, .0%. Moreover, the City Mayor’s Office, under City Mayor Darlene Magnolia R. Antonino-Custodio, the Congressional Office, under Congressman Pedro A. Acharon Jr., and the local offices of Senator Antonio Trillanes, IV, and other partylist groups are also extending assistance to poor patients in the GSCH to cover balances in their respective hospital bills. In addition, the city government has available indigent funds to cover hospital expenses of poor patients, after the extension of assistance as stated.

Conversion of hospital into an economic enterprise is a pro-poor formula

The conversion of the GSCH into an economic enterprise is a social justice formula intended to enable affluent social sections of the locality to subsidize those patients who are situated in the bottom of the social strata. We improve both the physical and human infrastructures of the GSCH to entice members of upper social classes to avail of our health facilities, and the revenues that the hospital may derive from these affluent paying patients can be rechanneled and used for the welfare and interest of poor patients. Thus, the city government merely pays its inherent role as insurer of social equity being a state instrument.

Raising funds for health and social services, without cost to poor patients

Our study shows that, though this measure, the city government can free up, at the very least, P90, 000,000.00 annually. Hence, the city government can make use of this gigantic amount to advance its various health, social, and economic programs that redound to the welfare and interest of the disadvantaged segment of the locality, without cost to the poor patients of the GSCH.

WE WILL BE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD HELP US IN DESSIMINATING THIS INFORMATION TO OUR PEOPLE.

DR. MARIUS ORLANDO A. OCO
City Kagawad /Chaiperson, Committee on Health
Sangguniang Panlunsod

DR JOSE ORLANDO R. ACHARON
Executive Assistant on Health
City Mayor’s Office