Provincial government to pay for bills

CEBU, Philippines —  The miscellaneous medical services and hospital bills of marginalized patients admitted to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) will soon be subsidized by the Cebu provincial government through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).

A minimum of P5,000 in financial support will be shouldered by the Cebu provincial government through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) for patients in VSMMC.

“Depende na unsa’y billing nila sa hospital ba, kay ang mahitabo man gud sa Sotto kay naa na man gud tay zero billing tungod sa Malasakit,” Provincial Welfare and Development Officer Wilson Ramos explained.

The Malasakit Fund is in line with the Universal Health Care Act providing accessible healthcare to the more vulnerable sectors of society. However, the fund does not assure complete subsidy for a patients’ medical needs.

This is where the AICS comes in handy.

The province will shoulder any medical expenses stipulated in a promissory note issues by VSMMC, which will then send the billing details of all patients who have availed of AICS with the PSWDO.

Ramos added that all diseases are covered by this program of the provincial government except for childbirth because mothers and families have nine months to prepare financially.

According to Ramos, his office has already prepared a memorandum of agreement between Cebu Province and VSMMC for the renewal of the AICS program.

He explained that the agreement between VSMMC is not new to this administration. There has already been an existing agreement and the memorandum of agreement will only serve to renew it.

Ramos said the fund to cover this project was already appropriated in the province’s annual budget since it is already a pre-existing agreement carried over by the change of administration.

“Naa na tay agreement with Sotto pero amo lang gi-renew kay lahi na man ang administration,” Ramos said.

A resolution has already been passed last week by the Provincial Board authorizing Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to sign the memorandum of agreement.

The agreement will last for the entirety of the new administration. — BRP (FREEMAN)