The government’s Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is banking on the support of local government units to accredit more medical providers and facilities to maximize the Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (Konsulta) in Western Visayas.
Konsulta is mandated under the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law that seeks to provide “comprehensive outpatient benefits” to members.
Janimhe Jalbuna, head of the Philhealth Public Affairs Office, said in an interview on Saturday that part of their target this year is to “accredit as many Konsulta providers”.
“We are in constant negotiation with our potential Konsulta providers for them to engage with us. Philhealth has a good intention to provide free primary care services for our members,” Jalbuna said.
Without the provider, the purpose of the program will not be achieved, she added.
Jalbuna added that one strategy that the agency is doing is to request support from local government since one potential provider is the rural health units.
“We hope that our local government units can help us because at the end of the day this would benefit their constituents,” she said.
Among the services are consultation and case management, provision of preventive health services, referral to specialty and higher care services, 13 laboratory services, and drugs and medicines as a result of the doctor’s assessment.
Currently, there are 12 primary health care centers in the region; six from Aklan, four in Guimaras, and two in Antique where the services can be accessed.
Konsulta was pilot-tested in Aklan and Guimaras in 2020 and was expanded and opened to the rest of the provinces in the region a year after.
There were also applicants from Negros Occidental and Iloilo province.
Those that can be accredited are private and government health care facilities that can pass the Philhealth self-assessment tool to determine their readiness.
Currently, 86. 41 percent of the projected 7.97 million population of Western Visayas are enrolled with PhilHealth.
Source: Philippines News Agency
