Capitol to offer health insurance to employees

CEBU – In line with its new policy to provide affordable health care services to its indigent constituents, the Cebu provincial government is now finalizing its plan to also offer a health benefit package to all government officials and employees.

Provincial health officer Cristina Giango, in an interview with The FREEMAN, said the Capitol will come up with a primer with guidelines on the program that will be of benefit to all public officials and employees in the province.

She said the Cebu health fund for officials and employees is “voluntary” in nature, which means that the provincial government will not subsidize the payment of premiums.

Giango said the health benefit package for public officials and employees is different from the new policy that the province will implement in providing health care services to indigent families all over the province.

In a meeting with mayors last week, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said that starting this March, instead of paying premiums to PhilHealth, municipalities will pay their premiums directly to the Provincial Government under the Cebu Indigency Health Program.

Garcia said Capitol’s insurance coverage is similar to the package offered by PhilHealth only “there will be a faster reaction here.”

“We intend to meet with all the PhilHealth-accredited private hospitals so that they could also start to honor our own indigent health cards. Perhaps they want us better kay dali man ta mo-reimburse,” the governor said.

Under the program, local government units will pay a premium of P600 per year for enrolment of every indigent family for a coverage that is good for one year.

Insurance coverage will include in-patient admission in primary to tertiary hospitals and the health insurance will shoulder part of the charges by general practitioners, surgeons, specialists and anesthesiologists.

Members can also avail themselves of services, such as maternity care, newborn care and tuberculosis packages. Last year, Capitol spent P20 million for its indigent health care program.

“We could very well set aside this money in a trust fund to where insurance claims may be charged,” said Garcia.

While the system is still being perfected, only first, second- and third-class municipalities can avail themselves of the services offered by Capitol while fourth- to sixth-class municipalities will continue their PhilHealth enrolment. — Garry B. Lao/WAB (THE FREEMAN)