PhilHealth-7 has over 2M members

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation office in Central Visayas has registered nearly two million members.

Mabeth Elias and Dina Cinchez, PhilHealth-7 public relations officers, yesterday said that they have now a total of 1.9 million registered members as of October 2011.

PhilsHealth membership also comprises self-employed and those under the Individual Paying Program, the overseas Filipino workers, and retirees and pensioners under the Lifetime Membership Program.

Cinchez said contributions can be made through over-the counter collections or through the accredited agencies especially for the OFWs.

The PhilHealth Planning Unit has not yet release membership figures per program because they are still reconciling them, Cinchez said.

Elias said poor families can become members of PhilHealth through their local government unit. The beneficiaries will be pre-identified by the LGUs.

Under Republic Act No. 9421, contribution for indigent members shall be subsidized partially by the LGU. PhilHealth will provide counterpart financing equal to the LGU’s subsidy.

This means, according to Elias, that once beneficiaries are confined in government hospitals, they can avail themselves of quality health insurance coverage without paying a single centavo.

As sponsored members of PhilHealth, they are entitled to hospitalization benefits, regular outpatient benefit package and other outpatient services.

The benefits are also extended to their qualified dependents, whose membership will be valid for one year. — (FREEMAN)