CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--The very heart of the Universal Health Care (UHC) law is the primary health care benefits, wherein preventive packages through medical check-up prior to hospitalization will be covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), called Konsulta.
In a recognition of Konsulta providers and press conference by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), March 15, three primary health care providers in Region 10 were recognized for their swift response to the Konsulta program particularly the J.R.. Borja General Hospital in Cagayan de Oro City, Gingoog City Health Office, Misamis Oriental and Tagaloguin Adona Polymedic Medical Health Diagnostic Center in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental.
Delio A. Aseron II, PhilHealth 10 regional vice president, said, “When the Konsulta was launched, we put out the PhilHealth circulars, policies, invited all private and government potential primary care health providers, and we awarded this morning those who responded to our call, to join and be accredited as a Konsulta provider.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Francis Ramos, medical specialist, said to avail of the Konsulta package, an individual must be registered with PhilHealth and an additional step to register at the Konsulta facility.
What are the benefits? Dr. Ramos enumerated consultation, screening and assessment services, as well as patient navigation to referrals if patient is in need of higher care from higher facilities such as hospitals. Not only that but also lifestyle counselling and also patient education. Medication and laboratories will also be covered by the benefit.
In Cagayan de Oro City, City Health Officer Dr. William Bernardo said, “We started with JR Borja, to build up the database because one Konsulta center is assigned to handle 20,000 clients. In the city, based on the population of 740,000, we will have 37 Konsulta centers in the future.”
The only private primary health care provider accredited to be a Konsulta facility as of yet from Ozamiz City, shared their plight and their difficulty in finances especially amid COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Amy Tagaloguin-Adona, medical director of Tagaloguin-Adona Polymedic Diagnostic Center, said, “PhilHealth Region 10 is really hardworking. They informed us about the Konsulta package, and we really responded because as a medical director of a private hospital, it’s really very difficult to ask about finances especially with the pandemic time and now with the increasing prices with Ukraine and Russia war. For me, I still anchor on the belief that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” (JMOR/PIA-10)
