From curative to preventive care

PhilHealth has shifted its focus on the confinement or in-patient benefit, also known as the curative care, to preventive care for cost-efficiency. As Almanon puts it, the expansion of the primary care services is the heart of all of their programs.

Known as the Konsulta Package, created pursuant to Republic Act 11223 otherwise known as the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Law, PhilHealth is now pushing for every Filipino to be registered in at least one primary care service because prevention is always better than cure.

“We incur great expenses for confinement. Many diseases are preventable and if we have primary care providers for checkups and basic laboratory services, we will not reach the point that we need to be hospitalized,” Almanon explained.

Recognizing that many people acquired serious mental health problems as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, PhilHealth also launched its mental health package.

In Central Luzon, the Mariveles Mental Wellness and General Hospital in Bataan has been accredited to provide benefits for patients who are under the facility’s care.
 

Moving Forward

As part of its ways forward, PhilHealth continues to advocate the programs under the UHC Law. Among their initiatives is a collaboration with the provincial government of Pampanga for the conduct of a Central Luzon Health Care Provider’s Summit on January 25 and 26. The event provides an avenue for the convergence of the primary movers of health in the region including the local chief executives, rural health workers, health workers in private hospitals, and accredited health service providers.

“It features talks on the UHC gains and challenges since it was first implemented. Invited stakeholders will get the opportunity to share their insights and experiences regarding their participation in the implementation of the UHC so that they can adopt each other’s best practices and collaboratively address common gaps encountered,” Almanon shared.

The state firm will likewise participate in the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair in Botolan, Zambales this weekend, January 27 and 28. Among the services it will offer include Issuance of PhilHealth number for those who are not yet members, issuance of ID and registration to primary health care providers for those who are already members of the corporation, and health profiling to be encoded in the database system.

“We aim to achieve that all Filipinos will be enlisted as our members. That is why we call on everyone eligible to go to our offices, register as members, and regularly update your records. Do not wait until you or your relatives are hospitalized before you go to our office to avoid long lines and other problems in your records,” he pressed.

For PhilHealth, ensuring a well and healthy populace is of paramount importance. That is why as it continues to improve and expand its services and packages, it fully commits itself to be a partner in pushing for the improvement of the healthcare system in the Philippines. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3)