PHILHEALTH achieves Universal Coverage in CAR in 200

BAGUIO CITY – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC-CAR) achieved universal coverage of membership in Cordillera in 2009, according to PHIC Media Relations Officer Maggie Del Rosario during an interview Tuesday.

PHIC-CAR has achieved more than 100 percent of the target membership coverage in Benguet, Baguio City, Mountain Province and Ifugao, and more than 80 percent of the targets in Abra, Kalinga and Apayao, which over-all gives a universal coverage of membership in Cordillera.

Del Rosario also bared that in 2009, Philhealth increased by 35 percent their hospitalization benefits and even included new service packages, such as extending insurance coverage up to the fourth normal spontaneous delivery for pregnant mothers and a new born care package for babies.

For this year, Del Rosario also stressed that they are now aiming for a “Universal collection,” to assure a better and continuing social health services for their members. She said they are now in the process of developing additional service packages and payment schemes for the benefit of their members

In line with achieving a better collection, PHIC started the Remittance By Air or RBA last month, wherein individually paying members can now pay their monthly membership fee through their mobile phones.

PHIC-CAR information officer AJ Ganaden explained that through RBA, Philhealth’s individually paying members do is to load at least P115 pesos if they are Smart or Talk n Text subscriber, then through their mobile phones text “PHIC space (12 digit PHIC PIN no.) then send it to 7442 . If they receive a validation/confirmation text, they will just reply “PHIC YES”, then send it again to 7442.

For a successful transaction, the member shall receive a thank you note, for using the said payment scheme and a reference number that will serve as a proof of payment. In viewing their premium (payment) history, they can also use their mobile phone by texting “PHIC HISTORY PIN” or they can also check it by log-in to the PHIC website – HYPERLINK “http://www.philhealth.gov.ph”www.philhealth.gov.ph.

Del Rosario informed that PHIC is also already working to extend the RBA paying scheme to other mobile phone networks.

Del Rosario also assured PHIC members against emerging diseases. Iin the case of the new A H1N1 virus, Philhealth set-up a P100,000 hospitalization coverage for healthcare workers and P70,000 for non-health workers.

Del Rosario also reiterated the importance of being a member of Philhealth, which provides “Social Health insurance” equally to every member regardless of their status in life. Thus, Del Rosario is also calling for people or a private organization with a generous heart to adopt a member, through the PHIC sponsorship program, as for the small amount they will be giving could give a health insurance to a whole family.

Under PHIC’s Sponsorship program, the national government and the sponsors, as in the case of the Local Government Units of all the municipalities of Benguet – shared resources, in providing social health insurance to the country’s indigent people.

In 2009, PHIC, in partnership with the different LGUs in the region, enrolled more 80 percent of indigent families in Cordillera. To provide a continuing health insurance for the poor families in the region, the National government, PHIC and the LGUs, also need the help of the private sector. **Lito Dar/PIA