Philhealth to mayors: Help us reach our target coverage

by: Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY, Feb. 24 (PIA) -- The government health insurance agency is urging the localchief executives here to help them reach their target coverage of insured indigent families in the province.

Local Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) Officer-In-Charge Marites Que in a forum today said that most local government units fail to enroll in the social health insurance the indigents in their localities for several reasons such as budgetary restraints and maybe, lack of political will.

“The biggest reason is financial constraint. Due to the huge number of indigents in their areas, the LGUs can enroll only the poorest of the poor among their constituents under the Philhealth sponsored program,” she said during the Kapihan forum held by the Philippine Information Agencyto mark Philhealth's 16th anniversary celebration and the National Health Insurance Month.

The Philhealth office here fell short of their target 110,000 families to cover in 2010 as its actual coverage only reached 64,000 families. 

Que, who has been campaigning for increased Philhealth coverage in the different LGUs around the province, reiterated her appeal to the mayors to help them in their goal of universal coverage.

“There are a lot of families who will benefit from Philhealth especially in these hard times. I am appealing to the mayors that, hopefully, this year, they can allot funds for the enrollment of more indigent families in their communities,” she said.

Philhealth's Sponsored Program is open to qualified indigents under the lowest 25% of the country's population wherein they are given health insurance coverage for one year with their premiums jointly paid for by the LGU and the national government. (RMN/PIA-7 Negros Oriental)