Ex-solon assumes as new PhilHealth head

CEBU - Former San Fernando City mayor and Pampanga congressman Rey Aquino recently assumed office as the new president and chief executive officer of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

Aquino, a surgeon by profession, took over the Philhealth leadership from Lorna Fajardo.

As he laid out his roadmap for PhilHealth development, Aquino highlighted the next 18 months to focus on realizing the mandate for universal coverage.

With 73 percent coverage of the country’s 2008 projected population of 90 million, Philhealth is still 12 percent away from its target of 85 percent coverage by 2010.

In a press statement, Aquino said the challenge for PhilHealth is to increase and maintain coverage in three strategic target groups, which include the poor, the informal sector and the overseas workers.

But Aquino emphasized that universal coverage is spelled in terms of the number of members covered and the extent of financial protection offered to members.

He said the goal of PhilHealth is to reduce out-of-the-pocket expenses of members to draw in more beneficiaries. To achieve this goal, the roadmap involves shifting to a new benefit payment mechanism.

He also wants PhilHealth to do contracting or entering preferred provider service agreements, investing in health care providers and expanding outpatient benefits.

Aquino also recognized the need to revise the current benefit payment mechanism of PhilHealth, “Our free-for-service scheme coupled with our line item benefit schedule is not only cumbersome but has even become inflationary… providers react to benefit increases with parallel increases fee. This therefore diminishes the effect of our benefit increases.”

Aquino acknowledged the media’s role in bringing information and shaping public opinion on the PhilHealth programs, urging the media to continue partnering with them in promoting health development.

He also urged employees to continue moving together in the same direction in pursuit of the corporation’s objectives.

“Let’s move, think, aim and dream as one.” — Jessica Ann Pareja/LPM (THE FREEMAN)