Philippine Information Agency Central Visayas

  CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) in Region 7 highlighted the importance of social insurance among Filipinos amid reports of low insurance penetration in the country.  Leonard Castañeda, chief insurance officer of Philhealth, said that according to surveys, Filipinos have the least number of insured individuals. “We are all aware that most Filipinos would prefer to buy gadgets over paying monthly insurance dues,” said Castañeda during the 2nd General Assembly of the Association of Government Information Officers in Region 7 in Cebu City.  He explained that insurance provides financial protection or a safety net in case something bad happens. “One strategy that we have chosen to pursue in the Philippines is social health insurance. It is a compulsory scheme requiring contributions from the employee and the employers, both with government subsidies,” he said.  Castañeda explained that having social health insurance is r...

  TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, October 18 (PIA) -- Gi-anunsyo sa  Department of Health (DOH) ang PhilHealth Mental Health Benefits Package  atol sa paglusad sa  2024-2028 Philippine Council for Mental Health (PCMH) strategic framework  niadtong Oktubre 12. Ang  package  naglakip sa usa ka komprehensibo nga hugpong sa mga benepisyo sa kahimsog sa pangisip alang sa  outpatient  ug mga serbisyo nga nakabase sa komunidad, nga nagtumong sa pagpalig-on sa  Mental Health Act. Gipahibalo usab ang pagpalapad sa  PhilHealth Mental Health Benefit Package  nga naghatag og kritikal nga suporta s a mental health  alang sa mga serbisyo sa  outpatient. Ang  package  naglangkob sa daghang mga importanteng serbisyo, lakip ang 12 ka konsultasyon,  diagnostic follow-up,   psychoeducation, ug psychosocial  nga suporta, tanan gihatag sa  mental health patient facility  nga nahimutang sa  medicine access s...

  PhilHealth Social Insurance Officer Ferlyn Catacutan (standing) orients members of the Association of Negros Oriental Public Information Officers (ANOPIO) on the various preventive medical services offered by the agency through its Konsultang Sulit at Tama (Konsulta) Program during a conference held on Sept. 27, 2023 at NORECO - II in Dumaguete City. (PIA Negros Oriental) DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, October 4 (PIA) -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) here has urged service providers to register with its Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (Konsulta) Package to provide members access to primary care facility services. The Konsulta Package is a comprehensive outpatient benefit package mandated by the Universal Health Care Law. This aims to protect the health of the public against chronic illnesses, avoid complications through early detection, and provide affordable drugs and medicines. Philhealth Social Insurance Officer Ferlyn Catacutan said there are only a f...

  DOH7 Medical Officer IV, Non Communicable Disease Section, Dr. Jera Armendarez and Philhealth 7 Medical Specialist, Benefits Administration Section, Dr. Avril Tiu during the Kapihan sa PIA on June 21, 2023 CEBU CITY, Cebu, July 4 (PIA) -- The Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) reiterated the importance of taking care of the kidneys in time for the observation of National Kidney Month this July. DOH-7 Medical Officer IV Dr. Jera Armendarez disclosed during the Kapihan sa PIA on June 21 that the National Kidney Month observance aims to raise awareness on how to prevent kidney diseases. Although Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD) remains to be one of the leading causes of death in the country, it is preventable, said Dr. Armendarez. “Basic screening on sugar, cholesterol level, and yearly check-ups should be practiced for early detection because CKD is non-reversible,” she said. Modification of diet, avoiding smoking and alco...

  DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, March 30 (PIA) -- PhilHealth Negros Oriental has encouraged more local health offices and animal bite treatment center (ABTC) facilities in the province to apply for accreditation with the agency so they can become eligible providers of PhilHealth’s animal bite treatment package.  PhilHealth Provincial Head Maritess Que said in a Kapihan sa PIA forum that the agency offers P3,000 worth of treatment package to defray the cost of post-animal bite treatment of patients bitten by rabid dogs and other animals. The package includes administration of vaccines, immunoglobulins, antibiotics, and other supplies.  This service can be availed in PhilHealth-accredited ABTCs.  However, there are only four PhilHealth-accredited ABTCs in Negros Oriental, namely the Sibulan Rural Health Unit (RHU), La Libertad RHU, Pamplona RHU, and Valencia RHU.  Que said the Dumaguete City Health Center was once accredited to extend this PhilHe...

CEBU CITY, Cebu Feb. 15 (PIA) -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PHIC) Region 7 has assured its members there will be no major changes in the delivery of various health insurance benefit packages despite the suspension of premium rate adjustment for 2023. PhilHealth said they will continue to offer those health insurance benefits and provide quality services to their members even if the premium adjustment does not proceed this year. As directed by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the increase in the rate of PhilHealth contribution, or the premium rate, to 4.5% for the calendar year 2023 will be suspended, retaining the previous year’s premium rate of 4% to be implemented this year. " Ang  PhilHealth  wala nabalaka nga ma  affected  ang iyang  services  kay bisan wala ta nag  implement  sa  premium adjustment, continue  ra gihapon ang paghatag og  quality n ga serbisyo og  actually  nag dugang pa ta sa atong mga gipang ...

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 1 (PIA) -- Nipasidaan ang pamunoan sa  Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth)   sa mga   healthcare facilities   nga nalambigit sa   under deduction o downcasing   sa mga   PhilHealth benefit. Sa pagdungog sa   House Committee on North Luzon Quadrangle,  gibutyag ni  PhilHealth Vice President  Walter Bacareza nga nakadawat sila og mga reklamo kalabot sa  downcasing  diin bisan grabe ang sakit sa miyembro, himuon lamang kining simple, tungod sa kahadlok nga dili mabayran sa  PhilHealth. “Marami kaming naririnig na ganun. Nung unang panahon Mr. Chair, ang tawag niyan upcasing. Yung simple ginagawang grabe…Ngayon nagbago na, downcasing naman. Yung grabe ginagawang simple, ” matud pa ni Bacareza. Gipasidan-an sa  PhilHealth  ang mga ospital nga ang  downcasing  mahimong makonsidera isip usa  ka  fraud  o pagpanglimbong. Tungod niini, ang mg...