PhilHealth holds Vis-Minwide training of trainors on UHC

KORONADAL CITY - While waiting for the publication of RA 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act’s 60-pages Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), Philippine Health Insuracne Corporation (PhilHealth) officers from Regions 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, the Bangsamoro region, and Caraga region talked about internal policies on the smooth transition of the new program.

“We are here to fill the gap. Universal Health Care (UHC) program implementation has to be integrated, not fragmented… not just the system but the structure itself,” said area 4 vice president Datu Masiding M. Alonto, Jr. during the Trainers’ Training on UHC in Cebu City.

Enrolling 109-million Filipinos, including those from far flung areas, entails internal humongous data storage system and requires personnel to do the entire process.

Collecting premium from all paying members on the other hand and integrating them all under one category requires not only manpower but structured system for smooth transition.

These and all other concerns affect the whole system; thus, internal policies governing such must be thoroughly discussed and agreed upon.

PhilHealth as an institution mandated to run everything and provide financial risk protection for all its members is governed by rules and regulations based on issued Circulars and  Office Orders anchored from the IRR.

This overwhelming scenario has made all the participants react and interact during the Visayas-Mindanao wide meeting.

PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer, BGen. Ricardo C. Morales, AFP (RIT) FICD in his message stressed that everything comes in progress.

“What we had been doing here is problem solving. What is important with problem solving is communication. Let’s keep an open mind to say what we think. That is the purpose. Walang UHC na one day, one year, nandiyan agad. We are going to face challenges. What is important is we must realize that Rome was not built in a day. So, keep your arguments coming. But be sure to accept what the other fellow is doing. This is how a group of people solve problems. It is important that PhilHealth has developed its problem solving procedure. You are the problem solver of this organization,” the PCEO said.

In addition, Morales said that we are building an organization that still does not exist and PhilHealth according to him shall be the biggest organization, “bigger than SSS, GSIS combined.”

“The database is going to be enormous. We have to build a new building to accommodate the servers that will house the database. We all know that the current system is not going to work… By all means, we’re only starting. What is important is, we stick to this process,” he concluded.

PhilHealth officers who talked and discussed relevant issues on the matter were the Area Vice Presidents for Visayas and Mindanao with their Regional Vice Presidents and support staff from the Human Resource, Planning and Public Relations Offices.

With them were the Chiefs of the Field Operations Division who are in-charge of enrolment and collection and Chiefs of the Health Care Delivery and Management Division who are in charge of accrediting facilities and processing claims of the members.

Local Health Insurance (LHIO) Heads of UHC priority areas were likewise involved in the said deliberation. # Hanah G. Naanep, PRO III