By Nanette Guadalquiver – PNA
BACOLOD CITY — The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is working out the accreditation of three health care providers in Negros Occidental to provide essential services under the expanded Primary Care Benefit (ePCB) program.
Dr. Bernadette Reynes, chief of PhilHealth 6 (Western Visayas) Health Care Delivery Management Division, said Tuesday the expanded benefits took effect last Oct. 1 for all members and their qualified dependents under the formal economy or employed, lifetime members, and senior citizens.
“We are currently negotiating, discussing, meeting with your provider here in Bacolod,” Reynes said during the open forum of PhilHealth’s thanksgiving event for the media here.
In this city, The Riverside Medical Center Inc.-Una Konsulta based in SM City Bacolod is seeking accreditation along with two others in Negros Occidental — the Lopez District Farmers’ Hospital in Sagay City and the San Carlos Doctors’ Hospital in San Carlos City.
“We in the formal (economy) can avail of outpatient benefits. We don’t need to be admitted (to a hospital) to avail of the benefits. We hope by the end of the year, we can announce (the launch),” Reynes added.
The expanded PCB covers more illnesses, disabilities, and maintenance medicines for members, including those who have diabetes and hypertension, and also children with disabilities.
Health care providers qualified to apply are those with the capacity to provide the required services, including health screening and assessment/consultation, essential services, such as complete blood count, urinalysis, fecalysis, lipid profile, chest X-ray, among others, and certain medicines.
Meanwhile, Dr. Shirley Domingo, vice president of the PhilHealth Corporate Affairs Group, said they hope that by next year, President Rodrigo Duterte can sign into law the Universal Health Care Bill.
The proposed law seeks to guarantee equal access to quality and affordable health services for all Filipinos.
“So we can move forward towards achieving health services for everybody. That’s the premise of universal health care. We’re looking forward to that,” Domingo said.
“Under its provisions, everyone will already be considered members (of PhilHealth). There are two types — contributory and non-contributory. The non-contributory will be shouldered by the national government,” she added.
