Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries continue to enjoy health care benefits

• Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=1&rid=772591
• Monday, June 15, 2015

(PNA), FFC/DSWD-PR/LSJ

MANILA, June 15 (PNA)--More beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya are now reaping the benefits of the partnership between the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

Since 2012 when the DSWD and PhilHealth partnered to provide health care for the poor, more than 4.4 million Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries are now covered by PhilHealth as Sponsored Members.

DSWD Secretary Corazon J. Soliman said that this partnership has strengthened the government's commitment to bridge poor families to medical and health services, further improving their living conditions

“I am happy that more families are now seeking medical help for their illnesses. Before, they were discouraged from seeking medical help for fear of the high cost of hospitalization. Their membership to PhilHealth has given them the courage to face their health challenges,” Sec. Soliman said.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is a human development program that invests in the health and education of poor families, primarily those with children aged 0-18.

It provides cash grants to partner-beneficiaries who comply with the conditions of sending their children to school, bringing them to health centers for checkups, and attending the monthly Family Development Sessions (FDS).

As Sponsored Members, they are entitled to full benefits including the case rate payments for 23 medical and surgical cases wherein they no longer need to pay in excess of the PhilHealth set benefits in government facilities.

They can also avail of the "Z" benefit package for catastrophic illnesses such as childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia, breast and prostate cancer, and kidney transplant, with financial coverage of PHP210,000, PHP100,000 (each), and PHP600,000, respectively.

This package is available in all PhilHealth accredited hospitals nationwide.

Beneficiaries also enjoy primary care benefits such as consultations, regular blood pressure monitoring, promotive health education on breastfeeding, and counseling on lifestyle modification and smoking cessation.

Medicines for diseases like asthma and acute gastroenteritis (with mild or no dehydration), upper respiratory tract infection/pneumonia, and urinary tract infection are also provided by accredited healthcare providers.

To avail of health care benefits, the beneficiaries will just have to present their household ID numbers at accredited hospitals in the country.

Merilyn Buhisan, 55, a Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary from Brgy. Commonwealth, Quezon City is just one of the more than 4.4 million household-beneficiaries covered by this partnership.

“My husband fell ill last April 2014 due to kidney complications. We had no money to buy his medicines, aside from numerous school expenses of our children. When I was asked whether I was covered by PhilHealth, I told them that I was because I am a Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary,” Merilyn said.

Although her husband died last December 2014, Merlyn recalled how being a Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary helped their family during the time her husband was undergoing treatment.

“Our hospital bill reached PHP85,000 but since we are covered by PhilHealth as Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries, we did not pay a single cent),” Merilyn said.

“Today, I feel that poor families are truly given attention. Before I thought that seeking treatment in hospitals and going for regular health check-ups are just for the rich. I was wrong,” Merlyn said.