SHInES Held for Iloilo, Guimaras Media and Information Officers

ILOILO CITY ----AT least 135 media practitioners and information offices of various local government agencies and units from the Provinces of Iloilo and Guimaras gathered recently at the Grand Iloilo Hotel to learn about the salient points of the new National Health Insurance Act of 2013 or Republic Act 10606. Through the Social Health Insurance Education Series (SHInES), these information multipliers were thoroughly oriented on the rationale behind the new law which amended significant portions of the PhilHealth mandate. The revisions were introduced to make PhilHealth more responsive to the demands of its almost 82 million-strong membership base.

Lourdes F. Diocson, OIC-Regional Vice President for Region VI welcomed the participants to the learning session, the second time the SHInES is being held in Western Visayas. ‘The state of health care in the region is promising with your support, and it is this same sense of bayanihan that we now call upon you, we reach out to you, to help us champion the ideals of Universal Health Care or Kalusugan Pangkalahatan,’ she said. In her message, Evelyn C. Bangalan, OIC-Area Vice President for Area III covering Regions 6, 7 and 8 appealed to the participants to ‘help us tell our story,’ stressing that there is probably no other government agency that has a clientele as big as PhilHealth has. She also expressed optimism that with these ‘communication mavens’ on board, PhilHealth now has more advocates for the NHIP.

Dr. Israel Francis A. Pargas, OIC-Vice President for Corporate Affairs Group briefly tackled the new membership categories under RA 10606, the revised premium contribution requirement when availing of benefits, and the new modes of payment to health care providers for the benefits and services granted to PhilHealth members. He also emphasized the role of local media and information officers in helping spread the updates not only as practitioners but also as members themselves.

On the other hand, Dr. Francisco Z. Soria, Jr., OIC-Senior Vice President for Health Finance Policy discussed the details of the outpatient and inpatient benefit packages, and what procedures are not covered by PhilHealth. He also shared scenarios of benefit availment at point-of-service, especially among the indigent members, and cited administrative processes to address complaints of members trying to avail of benefits.

Alberto C. Manduriao, OIC-Vice President for Member Management Group shared with participants the details of the different membership categories, namely, the inclusion of foster children, adopted children, and parents regardless of age but with permanent disability which renders them totally dependent on the active member. He also talked about coverage of migrant workers, both sea-based and land-based, and the mandatory coverage of senior citizens in accordance with Republic Act 10645.

Questions raised during the open forum included procedures on filing of claims for overseas confinements, why the TSeKaP is only available to certain member categories, benefit availment for cataract surgery, how the Z package for tetralogy of fallot can be availed of, qualifications for lifetime membership, whether or not a member’;s contributions records can be viewed online, package inclusions for cervical cancer radiation therapy and renewal of coverage for indigent members. (END)