Poor families told: Know your health insurance rights

(Updated 11:46 p.m.) President Benigno Aquino III encouraged poor Filipino families Saturday to be aware of their rights to health insurance, as he opened a government health insurance registration program. Aquino distributed health insurance cards to poor families in Baseco Compound in Tondo, Manila as part of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth)’s nationwide registration program on Saturday dubbed as “PhilHealth Sabado." The President said it was unacceptable that many Filipinos are not aware of their rights and benefits under the PhilHealth insurance program. “[Lumabas sa] isang pag-aaral na ang average benefit rate ng national health insurance program ay nasa eight percent lamang. Nakalulungkot po... ang datos na ito. Ibig sabihin, kung may 50 pasyente tayo sa ospital, apat lang sa kanila ang nagsabing... [alam nila at] nakatulong sa kanila ang PhilHealth… Hindi ito katanggap-tanggap," the President said in his speech on Saturday during the launch of the PhilHealth registration program. (Data from a study shows the average benefit rate of the national health insurance program is only eight percent. This figure is disappointing. It means that out of 50 hospital patients, only four were aware of and availed of their rights under PhilHealth. This is unacceptable.)
“Even PhilHealth members themselves are not aware of the full range of benefits to them," he added. Aquino likewise said that the “PhilHealth Sabado" activity was only part of his administration’s campaign to bring universal health care to every Filipino. “We have embarked on this nationwide registration day, not just to promote public awareness of PhilHealth’s importance, but to encourage the enrollment of the poorest of the poor (in this program)," he said. During his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last July, Aquino vowed to provide universal health care to five million poor Filipinos in three years. (See: SONA: Transcript of Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III's State of the Nation Address) PhilHealth Sabado The “PhilHealth Sabado" activity is projected to attract some 800,000 Filipinos who want to avail of the government’s health insurance program, a separate report from the government-run dzRB radio said. The project was held in local PhilHealth offices, hospitals and health centers around the country. At the National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI) in Quezon City, for example, more than 100,000 people registered for PhilHealth membership, according to a GMA News report. Doctors from the NKTI also provided free health check-up during the registration activity, the report said. Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman said the “PhilHealth Sabado" activity also targeted poor families listed under the government’s National Household Targeting System who have not availed of the government’s health insurance program. “Kung may mga tao na gusto maging bahagi ng PhilHealth at gusto maging libre, titingnan ng DSWD kung siya ay tunay na indigent," she said in a separate television interview on Saturday. (If there are people who want to be part of PhilHealth and avail of it for free, DSWD will verify if they are truly indigent.) Soliman added that PhilHealth premiums of qualified indigents will be shouldered by the government. About 20 million principal members are currently registered with the government health insurance program, according to PhilHealth data.—With Andreo C. Calonzo/LBG/JV, GMANews.TV