A total of 59,042 indigent families are now covered by PhilHealth. This is a 499 percent increase in enrolment from the 6,437 enrolees last year.

The passage of Provincial Ordinance No. 2009-44 by the provincial board under Vic Gov. Rhodora “Dodod” Cadiao fortified Gov. Sally Zaldivar Perez’s vision and advocacy for affordable, accessible and quality social health insurance for Antiqueños, especially the marginalized sector.

The provincial government vowed to sustain the coverage of the PhilHealth sponsored indigent program.

Program sponsorship also contributed to the over-all enrolment of the 59,042 indigent families. The sponsors are: mayors – 22,030 (37 percent), congressman – 4,892 (eight percent, and governor – 32,120 (54 percent).

Perez said one of the immediate benefits of the program is the provision of the Outpatient Benefit Package to all beneficiaries in eight government-owned hospitals.

“Since April 2009, all accredited hospitals are assured of not less than 35 percent average increase in regular in-patient benefits and hospital income – a big boost to the enterprise development activities,” she said.

PhilHealth initially released P1.4 million as PhilHealth capitation fund for preventive health care services.(BY ULYSSES ESPARTERO)