Cebu City’s P22M Health Insurance Budget Can’t Cover 37T Indigents

(PNA) The Cebu City Government’s P22-million budget for health insurance this year cannot cover the premium for some 37,000 indigent residents, an official said.

Ester Concha, chief of the city’s Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), said the city failed to renew their Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) coverage this year.

Concha said this is because Philhealth doubled its annual membership contributions this year from P1,200 to P2,400.

“Our current budget cannot cover all our indigent beneficiaries, that’s why we are looking for means to deal with this,” Concha said.

Concha said the indigent beneficiaries can no longer use their Philhealth cards during hospital confinement and consultations.

But Concha said this will affect the beneficiaries only this year, as the city plans to address the problem.

In the absence of their Philhealth benefit, she said the city will still help indigents through other health programs like the City Hospitalization and Medicine Program (Champ).

Under the Champ, a qualified beneficiary can avail of P5,000 worth of medicines from the City, P5,000 for laboratory fees and a maximum of P25,000 for hospitalization. (PNA) CTB/EB