Mindanaotoday.com | PhilHealth-10 targets ‘Konsulta’ providers in NorMin
By: Franck Dick Rosete
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation-10 (PhilHealth-10) is targeting to increase the numbers of PhilHealth-accredited “Konsulta” providers in Northern Mindanao as part of the upcoming full implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) system and policies in 2024.
Delio Aseron II, PhilHealth-10 regional vice president, said the office has been targeting to accredit a total of 64 “Konsulta” providers in the region at the end of this year, and 128 “Konsulta” providers at the end of 2023.
“We will do that because if we have many konsulta providers, our members can choose the nearby facilities or which they think that has a better service,” Aseron said in his opening remarks during the Social Health Insurance Education Series (SHInES) conducted on Friday, October 7.
According to PhilHealth, Konsulta provider refers to the primary care facilities and/or health care professionals accredited by PhilHealth to provide the Konsulta package under the UHC Law.
As of October 3 this year, there are 40 accredited Konsulta providers in region 10 and the said figures could be increased as the agency already received a total of 63 letters of interest from government and private institutions for the accreditation.
Dr. Francis Ramos, the Philhealth-10 “Konsulta” focal person, in the same event said that the Philhealth Konsulta package has been introduced as PhilHealth, under UHC Law, shall implement a comprehensive outpatient benefit to address the problem in primary health care within two years from the effectivity of the said act.
Ramos added that UHC wanted to focus more on primary health care as PhilHealth is only popular for inpatient cases.
Under the said package, PhilHealth would like now to cover consultation and case management; provision of preventive services; assistance in accessing services in subcontracted or partner facilities; and referral to specialty and higher level of care.
Apart from that, PhilHealth would also now cover 13 common laboratory tests and 21 common drugs and medications.
Ramos explained that the agency came up with the said services and benefits as those are the most in demand services, most requested laboratory tests and most prescribed drugs and medications by the doctors.
“We found out that the most common or in demand health service by Filipinos are actually your routine and common consultations,” he said.
“There are more Filipinos seeking consultation every minute than the entire year of all admitted Filipinos in hospitals, that is actually the demand,” he added.
The public has been urged to create an account in the PhilHealth Member Portal as the first step to avail the benefits. The said portal can be accessed through the agency’s website (www.philhealth.gov.ph).
Ramos said members can choose their preferred “Konsulta” provider once they already have an account. However, he reminded the members to carefully choose their preferred “Konsulta” provider as that would be their permanent provider for the current year.
To avail the said PhilHealth Konsulta package, members must secure the authorization transaction code (ATC) that can be obtained in the Konsulta facilities or to the Local Health Insurance Office.
The ATC would be given to the Konsulta provider in order to avail the benefits.
Ramos admitted that they are alarmed about the fast implementation, as the country plans to fully implement the UHC after five years since former President Rodrigo Duterte signed the said law on February 20, 2019.
However, he expressed hope that the country could improve its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the sustainability of the program. (MT)
####