LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation has four million Filipinos enrolled with its Konsulta program and 35 percent or 1.4 million are from this province.
Governor Ramon V. Guico III said this after his induction to his second term as governor Monday, June 30, at the Sison Auditorium here.
The governor said that four million has been enrolled with the PhilHealth Konsulta program, of which half are from Region I and 70 percent of that number, or 1.4 million, are Pangasinenses.
Gov. Guico attributed that to the provincial government’s support project which is the Government Unified Incentives for medical Consultations or GUICONSULTA.
Gov. Guico said that he eyes an initial two million enrollees and will be happy if they could have the entire population of over 3 million enrolled with the PhilHealth program.
Konsulta, a PhilHealth outpatient program was started in 2020.
When Governor Guico introduced the GUICONSULTA late last year, he found out that only 30,000 locals have availed of the program.
Pangasinenses were then urged to enroll that they were even given funds for transportation and food just to do so and that started the ball rolling that saw a massive enrollment in all the 48 local government units (LGUs).
In less than a year, some 1.4 million of the two million targeted by the provincial government are already PhilHealth members.
The feat amazed PhilHealth Vice President for Region 1 Dennis B. Adre that he urged other LGUs all over the country to emulate the GUICONSULTA.
“We have been coordinating with our head office to study and evaluate the Pangasinan Business Model (for GUICONSULTA) and probably adopt and turn it into a policy,” Adre said.
Quezon City is the first LGU to do so when Mayor Joy Belmonte said that she aims to have all her constituents of 2,96 million, Philippine Statistics Agency 2020 estimate, enrolled with the PhilHealth Konsulta.
Adre said that those enrolled with the Konsulta will have a capitation worth P1,700 which is paid to the partner accredited hospitals like the 14 provincial operated hospitals.
The amount will go to the members’ laboratory fees, maintenance medicines to battle diabetes and hypertension as well as prescription medicines like antibiotics.
“In the case of Pangasinan, they have come up with an 80-20 sharing scheme which is provided for in a memorandum of agreement signed by and among the 48 municipalities and cities,” Adre explained.
Adre said the 80 percent is being held in trust by the province in a special health fund as contained in a resolution to that effect while the remaining 20 percent goes directly to the LGUs.
The PhilHealth later accredited all rural health units of the 48 LGUs, which are now organized into one united health network.
Gov. Guico said he eyes the establishment of an Apex Hospital and to upgrade existing health facilities in the province to meet the needs of every sick and poor Pangasinense.
Ruby F. Rayat/PIMRO
