PhilHealth gives P9.4M to Talamban Health Center

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has turned-over P9.4 million to Talamban Health Center as provider of the Primary Care Benefit (PCB) 1 package to some 37,000 poor families sponsored by the Cebu City government.

PhilHealth-7 legal officer Ligaya Barcenas said yesterday that the P9.4 million serves as the per family payment (PFP) of their office to the said health center covering the first and second quarter of last year.

PCB 1 is PhilHealth’s outpatient preventive and diagnostic package for sponsored members available at accredited health centers and providers.

PhilHealth pays this provider a maximum PFP rate of P500 per year for every sponsored member and dependent it enlisted, profiled and served.

Payment is made on a quarterly basis upon submission of the required supporting documents.

The local government unit managing the health center is also required to put up a trust fund for this purpose.

The said health center is the only accredited PCB 1 provider in Cebu City.

Aside from enlistment and profiling, PhilHealth in a statement said that the PCB 1 services include primary preventive services, such as regular blood pressure measurement and visual inspection with acetic acid; diagnostic procedures, such as complete blood count and urinalysis; and, free drugs and medicines for asthma, acute gastroenteritis (mild or no dehydration), low risk pneumonia and urinary tract infection.

It further said that, not lower than 40 percent of the amount PhilHealth pays as PFP should be used for the purchase of drugs and medicines.

A maximum of 40 percent may be used for medical supplies and equipment, infrastructure, information technology, and other uses related or necessary to the delivery of required services.

The remaining 20 percent shall be used for the honoraria and capability improvement of health and non-health personnel of the PCB 1 provider, the statement further stated.

It can be recalled that the Department of Health is slowly phasing out the Botica ng Barangay which 200 of these are in Cebu as the government is now towards the direction of providing PhilHealth’s PCB 1 package for its target beneficiaries.

PCB 1 program is in support of the health agenda of President Benigno Aquino III, known as Kalusugan Pangkalahatan, which aims to provide universal health care for all Filipinos. (FREEMAN)