In line with PNoy’s Health Agenda or Universal Health Care (UHC) program, the Department of Health (DOH) has sponsored the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) or PhilHealth coverage of 12,094 indigent families in Cordillera.

According to DOH-CAR regional director Myrna Cabotaje, the sub-allotted fund for performance-based grants to the different provincial local government units (LGUs) in the region including Baguio City, amounting to P7,558,700,is in support of the National Health Insurance Program for indigent families and part of the UHC’s Financial Risk Protection component.

Cabotaje explained that the 12,094 beneficiaries were already enrolled during the National Philhealth Registration Day held last October 2, 2010. They were pre-selected based on the National Household Targetting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR).

Abra has 3,122 beneficiaries; Apayao, 1,685; Benguet, 1,350; Ifugao, 1,540; Kalinga, 2,239 and Mountain Province, 1,980 and Baguio City, 178.

“The Philhealth coverage of the indigent family beneficiaries were already paid for by their respective LGUs and now we have already prepared the checks for the DOH subsidy and ready for release or distribution,” Cabotaje said.

Cabotaje also affirmed that the DOH, in partnership with PHIC and the different provincial LGUs, will also look for additional indigent family beneficiaries for the program since out of the P7,558,700 allotted fund from the DOH central office, the Philhealth coverage of the 12,094 beneficiaries only totals to P5,390,400.

“There is still remains a balance of P2,168,300 and we have already requested the office of PHIC regional vice president Leo Douglas Cardona to enroll additional indigents listed in the NHTS-PR, to increase the health insurance coverage in the region and at the same time to fully utilize the said funds,” Cabotaje said.

Cabotaje also disclosed that there is a plan to increase the funding for the said program for this year to reach out to more indigent families. She called on the different LGUs to enroll additional indigent families so that the region will attain the goal of having a Universal Health Insurance Coverage. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)