UHC’s outpatient services transition

package underway
By Hilda Austria December 11, 2019, 3:00 pm

UHC FORUM. Philippine Health Insurance Inc. officials from the various regions hold a forum that
tackled updates on Universal Health Care Law before the Area Level National Quiz Bee event on
Tuesday (Dec.10, 2019) at the Monarch Hotel Calasiao, Pangasinan. The officials were from Ilocos,
Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon regions and Cordillera Administrative Region. (PNA Photo by
Hilda Austria)

DAGUPAN CITY -- The Philippine Health Insurance Inc. (Philhealth) is developing a package that
will serve as transition to comprehensive outpatient services under the Universal Health Care (UHC)
law.

“The transition package, called Konsultang Sulit at Tama (KONSULTA) package, will qualify all
members of Philhealth and their dependents to avail of outpatient services, such as medical check-
up and provision of medicines both from government and private facilities,” accreditation chief of
Philhealth-1, Dr. Marlene Soliba said in a press conference Tuesday in Calasiao, Pangasinan.

Based on the proposal, she said each person will be allotted PHP500 in a government facility, or
PHP750 per person in a private facility for the KONSULTA package.

The drugs or medicines may include antibiotics for asthma, diabetes and hypertension, among
others, she added.

“For the meantime, while the Department of Health is on licensing of hospitals or infirmaries and
others, Philhealth provides self-assessment test to the primary health care units to guide them in
knowing their capability in implementing the KONSULTA package,” Soliba said.

She said the circular for the package is yet to be cascaded.

Meanwhile, Philhealth Cagayan Valley vice president Arsenia Torres said they are urging primary
health care units, especially the private hospitals and non-hospitals, to be accredited.

“The UHC targets that all Filipinos will have their own primary health care provider of their choice,
wherein their profiles are there, where they will be able to enjoy their benefits, including medical
check-up and medicines. We are preparing for all these and we are looking for private health care
providers,” she said.

Torres said those who will be accredited will have their incentives, one of which is the global budget
payment.
“From reimbursement, payments to hospitals will be through the global budget. Based on historical
facts on how much is being paid to that facility through reimbursement, maybe 50 percent of that
amount will be uploaded to that hospital beforehand or to whoever will handle the trust fund. This is
part of long-term plans,” she said.

She said Philhealth hopes that more health care provider will be accredited to accommodate the
increasing number of members under the UHC law.

“The transition period will take some time hence, Philhealth have chosen 33 sites for modeling
(including Dagupan City), to see the readiness and what works best,” Torres added. (PNA)

REACTION

I think that Financial constraint or those who are located in geographically isolated
areas, DSWD’s and Seniors should also be given priority when ensuring access to free
health services such as this Konsulta package. It will atleast lessen the burden for
people who are financially unstable and they can use their money for food instead of
paying for medications. Also, Out Patients who have not been treated because of
worrying about the expenses can atleast avail the free services and medications. They
are more deserved to be given this such programs. I think Gov’t officials should not be
the priority with this kind of program, they should just leave it to the people. I think
they can afford this things besides they are already working for the gov’t and they can
benefit to other many programs produced by gov’t.
 Baguio Central University
College of Nursing and School of Midwifery
BCU Sto.Niño Jesus Medical Center
#28 Lower P. Burgos Street, Baguio City
Philippines 2600

Journal Reading OPD

In partial fulfillment of the requirements in

Related Learning Experience 103
Baguio General Hospital Out Patient Department
Feb. 3-5, 2020

Submitted to:
Mr. Alan Guinanghan RN,MAN
Clinical Instructor

Submitted by:
Ms. Shehada M. Bondad. BSN, SN