The San Carlos local government has updated its Hospitalization Assistance Program, which aims to provide adequate and accessible medical and hospital care services to residents.
Under the revised program, qualified beneficiaries may avail of up to P15,000 per person per year in hospitalization assistance, and P10,000 per family per year in outpatient support.
Qualified beneficiaries include senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities (PWDs), persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), children below 18 years old, children in conflict with the law (CICL), indigent families with minor children, local government unit (LGU) job order personnel, and residents who meet the required residency and voter registration qualifications.
San Carlos City Hospital administrative officer Charlen Pol Anlap said Feb. 13 that the previous P10,000 hospitalization assistance approved in 2021 was increased to P15,000 per person per year through an executive order issued by Mayor Rene Gustilo, with P13,000 allotted for hospital bills and P2,000 for going home medicines.
Anlap added that the City Hospital proposed the amendment to further strengthen healthcare services in San Carlos and ensure that residents, particularly those most in need, receive adequate support from the local government.
She also explained that beneficiaries must first undergo consultation with an SCCH physician and secure a prescription before proceeding to the Indigency Office for evaluation and enrollment instructions.
After which, they will be issued an identification card valid for one year and renewable annually, which they may use for future hospitalizations without undergoing another evaluation process, Anlap said, adding the assistance will not be released in cash but will instead be directly deducted from hospital bills.
The program’s budget was approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod, and will be fully implemented on Monday, Feb. 16, the city said. ||
