In Talisay, more indigent residents now enjoy PhilHealth insurance coverage

CEBU, Philippines - This as 4,100 less privileged residents from the 21 barangays in Talisay City have Philippine Health (PhilHealth) Insurance coverage and recently received their insurance cards.

Talisay City Social Welfare Officer Bebeth Solana said the Philhealth cards were distributed in the barangays on purpose so as to prevent the residents from spending money on transportation just to get the cards.

Governor Hilario Davide’s wife, Jobel, personally turned over the PhilHealth cards to the city’s social welfare at the Barangay Linao Sports plaza.

Mrs. Davide said health is the closest thing to the heart of the governor.

The P1,200 premium for each beneficiary per year will be shared equally by the city and Philhealth.

Committed to its mandate of universal coverage for all the Filipinos, Philhealth aims to cover at least 85 percent of the country’s population by 2010.

The sponsored program remains to be Philhealth’s flagship project considering that a great portion of the Philippine population live below the poverty threshold.

PhilHealth cards subsidized by local governments provide discounts for hospitalization that include room and doctor’s fees, medicine, laboratory, X-ray, and surgery fees. (FREEMAN)