Officials from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) are reviewing its existing programs and services for possible improvements in view of the increase in premium contribution payments from its members.
“They are reviewing the benefits given especially the case rates. Hopefully naa siya (it will lead to some) changes and it will bring good to the members,” PhilHealth Negros Oriental Branch Manager Marites Que said.
She was asked about the possible improvements in the agency’s services and healthcare packages following its move to implement higher premium contribution rates this year, as mandated by the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Law.
Although PhilHealth officials have yet to decide on the enhancements in their services, Que said members can already avail of the agency’s expanded primary care benefits such as the Konsulta program.
Under the Konsulta or “Konsultang Sulit at Tama” Program, members can avail of the comprehensive outpatient services from Philhealth-accredited health service facilities.
“These are basic laboratory like fasting blood sugar, ECG. It’s more of a general check-up every year. All you have to do is to register to a certain facility accredited by Philhealth,” Que said.
She also shared that the increase in payment contributions will also fund additional services of the agency such as outpatient therapeutic care, severe acute malnutrition treatment, outpatient package for mental health, and COVID-19 benefit package to include coverage of isolation rooms and community isolation units.
Que hopes that PhilHealth members will continue to pay their contributions diligently.
The agency is directed to implement gradual adjustments in the rate of payment contributions under the UHC Law to meet the government’s objective to provide affordable and quality healthcare services to the Filipino people.
PhilHealth Negros Oriental Social Insurance Assistant Julie Ann Fabe said the agency has started in 2019 with 2.75 percent adjustment, 3 percent in 2020, and 4 percent by June this year.
PhilHealth did not implement any adjustment in 2021 following former President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to postpone the implementation of the adjustment due to the CoViD-19 pandemic.
Fabe said PhilHealth is only allowed to collect up until 5 percent premium adjustment from a person’s basic salary for those employed in the formal sector.
Meanwhile, four local health units in Negros Oriental received RxBox telehealth devices from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to enhance the delivery of medical services to their constituents in far-flung communities.
Officials from DOST7 turned over recently RxBoxes to local health officers of Dauin, San Jose, Amlan, and Tanjay City and also oriented them on the basic functions of the device.
“Makakuha ni siya ug blood pressure, temperature, oxymeter na mo-determine sa oxygen saturation, electrocardiogram, (ug) maternal tocometer para sa status of contraction sa uterus diha sa pagpanganak sa inahan (This can measure blood pressure and temperature. It also has an oxymeter that can determine oxygen saturation. It can also be used as ECG and maternal tocometer to check the status of contraction in the uterus for birthing mothers),” said Marichu Baclay, DOST7 RxBox regional coordinator.
RxBoxes are diagnostic devices developed by DOST and its partner agencies, University of the Philippines Manila – National Telehealth Center, University of the Philippines Diliman – College of Engineering, and the Department of Health.
These telehealth devices are especially intended for communities in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAS) as it can be used for diagnostic procedures and form maintaining electronic medical records of patients or individuals in the hinterlands.
“Ang advantage man gud aning device is that magamit ni siya adto sa mga lagyo na lugar kay madala-dala man siya na unit and ang atong areas na kuwangan ug medical personnel matabangan sila (One advantage of this is that it can be brought anywhere because it is also portable. This could also help address the lack of health office personnel),” said Atty. Gilbert Arbon, provincial director of DOST in Negros Oriental.
“Kani siya dako kaayo gamit. Ang atong mga pasyente di na kinahanglan moadto sa Dumaguete, dili na kinahanglan moadto sa laboratories sa Tanjay. Pwede kami ang mo-initial nila og ECG (This is a big help to us. Our patients would no longer have to go to Dumaguete City or to laboratories in Tanjay City. We can administer ECG to them),” said Dr. Eric Jude Briones, Amlan municipal health officer who is also one of the recipients of the telehealth devices.
A total of 19 RxBoxes have already been deployed in different local health offices across the province.
DOST also distributed RxBoxes to other provinces in Central Visayas.
The department also partnered with local tertiary hospitals to help interpret local officers in interpreting the results of the RxBoxes.
Aside from this, DOST also established a referral system with its partner hospitals to provide treatment for patients in case their local health units are not capable to do so. – NWI
