Primary care benefits DepEd to pilot PhilHealth package

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is piloting its Primary Care Benefit 1 (PCB1) package to members of the employed sectors starting with all teachers and other personnel of the Department of Education starting this month.

In a statement, PhilHealth said knowledge gained from this endeavor shall be a basis in rolling out the outpatient benefit to other employed members of PhilHealth, thereby strengthening the gate keeping capacity of outpatient facilities in the country, and developing other special benefit packages.

This new program is in support to the Aquino Health Agenda also known as Kalusugan Pangkalahatan, to provide universal health care for all Filipinos.

PhilHealth said that this benefit package covers consultation, including annual health profiling, basic screening for cancer of cervix and breast.

The package also includes counseling to maintain one’s health and basic laboratory tests like complete blood count, urinalysis, fecalysis, sputum microscopy, fasting blood sugar, lipid profile and chest X-ray, if deemed necessary by their primary doctor.

On the other hand, it shall be the DepEd who shall identify the accredited PCB1 providers for their employees nearest to their workplace which would include outpatient departments of government hospitals and rural health units/health centers with laboratory services. (FREEMAN)