Table 7.

Extent of awareness of the inpatients at Benguet General Hospital regarding Philhealth policies when grouped according to age ITEMS 18-31 Xw DE 2.16 MA 1.79 MA 2.32 MA 2.02 MA Age Group 32-45 Xw DE 2.35 MA 1.81 MA 2.35 MA 2.21 MA Fc 46 & above Xw DE 2.43 MA 1.69 MA 2.46 MA 2.42 MA Prob.

a. Membership Programs 3.972* 0.22 b. Coverage Benefits 0.296ns 0.745 c. Qualified Legal Dependents 0.386ns 0.680 d.Monthly Obligations of Phil2.945ns 0.057 health Members and Effectivity of Philhealth Policies Overall Weighted Mean 1.89 MA 1.95 MA 1.88 MA 0.226ns 0.798 Legend: Xw=Weighted Mean 2.50-3.00= Very Much Aware (VMA) DE=Descriptive Equivalent 1.50-2.49= Much Aware (MA) Fc=Computed F-value 1.00-1.49= Not Aware (NA) Prob.=Probability *=significant ns=not significant Awareness of the Respondents on Philhealth Policies According to the Variables Awareness of the Respondents on Philhealth Policies According to Age Table 7 presents the extent of awareness of the respondents on Philhealth policies according to age. On item a, membership programs, the 46 and above age group got the highest mean of 2.43 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Decisionmaking, authority and responsibilities are determined generally by the age of the person. Parents usually make the decision and grandparents are consulted. It is also true in memberships in any organizations (Quimbo,et al, 2008). This further explains why the oldest age group, 46 and above, got the highest mean on this aspect. On the other hand, the 32-45 age group got the second highest mean, 2.35, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Moreover, the age group of 18-31, got the lowest mean of 2.16,

with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Younger people are least likely to be willing in joining insurance programs than older ones which could be due to the fact that generally, older people experience more illnesses than the young. Thus, the latter assumes a great need for a membership in an organization or firm which could help him in the expenses for his health (Yullen,2007). The computed F-value is 3.972 with a probability of 0.022, thus, significant. Therefore, there is a significant difference on the extent of awareness of Philhealth policies on membership programs considering age as a variable. Furthermore, on item b, coverage benefits, the age group of 32-45 got the highest mean of 1.81, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). The age group of 18-31 got the second highest mean of 1.79, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). One reason why the younger age groups got a high mean is that they have more access to information dissemination drives that Philhealth implements through the internet, publications and print materials when compared to the older age groups (Manongdo, 2012). On the other hand, the age group of 46 and above got the lowest mean of 1.69, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). The oldest age group got the lowest mean, which is contradictory to the results of the Survey Module conducted by the Social Weather Station (2005). The Survey Module states that

preference for higher coverage benefits was highest among those aged 55 and above at 42 percent, the oldest age group among the respondents.

As to item c, qualified legal dependents, the age group of 46 and above got the highest mean of 2.46, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Furthermore, 32-45 age group ranked second with a mean of 2.35 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). On the other hand, the age group of 18-31 got the lowest rank, with a mean of 2.32 and a descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). These results are supported by Lang (1999) who stated that in general, there is a tendency that the older an informant the more awareness he or she has and the younger an informant is, the lesser his/her awareness. On the other hand, on item d, monthly obligations of Philhealth members and effectivity of Philhealth policies, the age group of 46 and above got the highest mean of 2.42, with a descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). The age groups of 32-45 and 18-31 ranked second and third respectively with means of 2.21 and 2.02 and both with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). This could be explained by the statement that cognitive capacity of young adults is fully developed, but with maturation, they continue to gain new knowledge and skills from an expanding reservoir of formal and informal experiences (De Young, 2003). On the overall weighted mean, the age group of 32-45 got the highest mean of 1.95 , with a descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). The age groups of 18-31 and 46 and above ranked second and third respectively with means of 1.89 and 1.88 and both with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA).

Overall, there is no significant difference on the extent of awareness of the three age groups, as supported by the computed F-value of 0.226 and probability of 0.798. This implies that age has no bearing on the extent of awareness of the respondents on Philhealth policies. Awareness of the Respondents on Philhealth Policies According to Gender Table 8. Extent of awareness of the inpatients at Benguet General Hospital regarding Philhealth policies when grouped to gender ITEMS Gender Female Male Xw DE Xw DE 2.33 MA 2.20 MA 1.79 MA 1.77 MA 2.39 MA 2.29 MA 2.24 MA 1.97 MA tc Prob.

a.Membership Programs 1.494ns 0.139 b.Coverage Benefits 0.235ns 0.815 c.Qualified Legal Dependents 0.953ns 0.344 d.Monthly Obligations of Phil2.402* 0.018 health Members and Effectivity of Philhealth Policies Overall Weighted Mean 1.94 MA 1.87 MA 0.740ns 0.462 Legend: Xw=Weighted Mean 2.50-3.00= Very Much Aware (VMA) DE=Descriptive Equivalent 1.50-2.49= Much Aware (MA) tc=Computed t-value 1.00-1.49= Not Aware (NA) Prob.=Probability *=significant ns=not significant

Table 8 presents the extent of awareness of the respondents on Philhealth policies when grouped according to gender. On item a, membership programs, females got a higher mean of 2.33 compared to that of the males with 2.20, with both the descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA).

Moreover,on item b, coverage benefits, females got a higher mean of 1.79 compared to that of the males who got a mean of 1.77, with both the descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). As to item c, qualified legal dependents, females got a higher mean of 2.39 compared to that of the males who a got a mean of 2.29. The means showed that both genders are moderately aware (MA) on qualified legal dependents. Moreover, on item d, extent of awareness on monthly obligations of Philhealth members and effectivity of Philhealth policies, the females got a higher mean of 2.24 compared to that of the males who got a mean of 1.97; both had a descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). On item d, extent of awareness on monthly obligations of Philhealth members and effectivity of Philhealth policies, the computed t-value is 2.407 with a probability of 0.018, thus, significant. Therefore, there is a significant difference on the extent of awareness of Philhealth policies on monthly obligations of Philhealth members and effectivity of Philihealth policies when considering gender as a variable. Gender affects the extent of awareness of the respondents on Philhealth policies on monthly obligations of Philhealth members and effectivity of Phillhealth policies. On the overall weighted mean, females got a higher mean of 1.94 compared to that of the males with 1.87, with both the descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Maleness and femaleness are institutionalized as statuses and

the basis of psychological identities of individual. Often, females are generally more aware of their obligations (Seward and Williamson, 1970). On the overall results, as supported by the computed t-value of 0.740 and probability of 0.462, there is no significant difference on the extent of awareness of the respondents on Philhealth policies when grouped according to gender. This implies that generally, gender has no bearing on the extent of awareness of the respondents on Philhealth policies. Table 9. Extent of awareness of the inpatients at Benguet General Hospital regarding Philhealth policies when grouped together according to civil status ITEMS Single Xw a. Membership Programs 2.24 b. Coverage Benefits 1.76 c. Qualified Legal Dependents 2.29 d.Monthly Obligations of Phil- 2.06 health Members and Effectivity of Philhealth Policies Overall Weighted Mean 1.88 Legend: Xw=Weighted Mean DE=Descriptive Equivalent tc=Computed t-value Prob.=Probability ns=not significant DE MA MA MA MA Civil Status Married Widowed/ Separated Xw DE Xw DE 2.29 MA 2.50 VMA 1.79 MA 2.16 MA 2.37 MA 2.84 VMA 2.16 MA 2.70 VMA Fc Prob.

0.370ns 0.667ns 1.248ns 1.415ns

0.692 0.516 0.292 0.248

MA 1.92 MA 2.31 MA

1.054ns 0.353

2.50-3.00= Very Much Aware (VMA) 1.50-2.49= Much Aware (MA) 1.00-1.49= Not Aware (NA)

Awareness of the Respondents on Philhealth Policies According to Civil Status Table 9 shows the extent of awareness of the respondents on Philhealth policies according to civil status. The table reveals that on item a, membership programs, the

widow/separated got the highest mean of 2.50 with the descriptive equivalent of very much aware (MA). On the other hand, the married group got the second highest mean, 2.29, with the descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Moreover, the group of the single got the lowest mean of 2.24, with the descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). This contradicts Papalia,et al (2002) which states that the married couples should be least aware on health-related issues because of their obligations such as procreation, education and nurturing of children which could hinder the married person to be aware of those details. Moreover, on item b, coverage benefits, the widow/separated got the highest mean of 2.16, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). The group of married got the second highest mean of 1.79, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). On the other hand, the single group got the lowest mean of 1.76, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). As to item c, qualified legal dependents, the widow/separarted got the highest mean of 2.84, with descriptive equivalent of very much aware (VMA). Furthermore, the married group ranked second with a mean of 2.37 with the descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). On the other hand, the single group got the lowest rank, with a mean of 2.37 and a descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Furthermore, on item d, monthly obligations of Philhealth members and effectivity of Philhealth policies, the widow/separated got the highest mean of 2.70, with a descriptive equivalent of very much aware (VMA). The groups of married and single

ranked second and third respectively, with means of 2.16 and 2.06, both with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). On the overall weighted mean, the widow/separated got the highest mean of 2.31 with the descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). On the other hand, the married group got the second highest mean of 1.92, with the descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Moreover, the group of the single got the lowest mean of 1.88, with the descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Overall, there is no significant difference on the extent of awareness of Philhealth policies when civil status is considered. This is supported by the computed F-value of 1.054 and probability of 0.353. This implies that generally, civil status has no bearing on the extent of awareness of the respondents on Philhealth policies. This can be supported by a study done by Adalin (2008) that civil status affects awareness and decision making but not social skills, which could include being aware of social issues concerning health care insurances, which include Philhealth policies. Table 10. Extent of awareness of the inpatients at Benguet General Hospital regarding Philhealth policies when grouped together according to employment status ITEMS Selfemployed Xw DE 2.32 MA 1.78 MA 2.44 MA Employment Status UnGovernEmployed ment Employee Xw DE Xw DE 2.22 MA 2.49 MA 1.71 MA 2.01 MA Fc Private Employee Xw 2.18 1.84 DE MA MA MA 1.432ns 0.238 1.395ns 0.249 3.177* 0.028 Prob.

a.Membership Programs b.Coverage Benefits c.Qualified

2.28 MA 2.62 VMA 2.07

Legal Dependents d.Monthly Ob2.22 MA 2.05 MA 2.32 MA 2.04 MA 1.159ns 0.329 ligations of Philhealth members and effectivity of Philhealth policies Overall 1.93 MA 1.84 MA 2.14 MA 1.91 MA 1.911ns 0.133 Weighted Mean Legend: Xw=Weighted Mean 2.50-3.00= Very Much Aware (VMA) DE=Descriptive Equivalent 1.50-2.49= Much Aware (MA) tc=Computed t-value 1.00-1.49= Not Aware (NA) Prob.=Probability *=significant ns=not significant

Awareness of the Respondents on Philhealth Policies According to Employment Status Table 10 shows the extent of awareness of the respondents on Philhealth policies according to employment status. On item a, membership programs, the government employee got the highest mean of 2.49 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). This is contradicted by the finding of Villacorta (2006), indicating that even government employees need to be informed of all the dynamics of the Philhealth as they are at a better position to inform or disseminate the same to the people in their respective communities. On the other hand, the self-employed got the second highest mean, 2.23, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Moreover, the unemployed got the third highest mean of 2.22, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Lastly, the private employee got the lowest mean of 2.18, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA).

On the other hand, on item b, coverage benefits, the government employee got the highest mean of 2.01, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). The private employee got the second highest mean of 1.84, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). On the other hand, self-employed got the third highest mean of 1.78, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Lastly, the unemployed got the lowest mean of 1.71, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). As to extent of awareness on qualified legal dependents, the government employee got the highest mean of 2.62, with descriptive equivalent of very much aware (MA). Furthermore, the self-employed ranked second with a mean of 2.44 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). This can be supported by Adawey (2007) who said in a study that it is notably hoped that medical care services, medicines, professional fees, and the like be regulated so as to free the self-employed and the majority of the Filipinos from shelling out hard-earned cash when members or their dependents succumb to illness. Third is the unemployed with a mean of 2.28 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Lastly, the private employee got the lowest rank, with a mean of 2.07 and a descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). On the other hand, on the extent of awareness on monthly obligations of Philhealth members and effectivity of Philhealth policies, the government employee got the highest mean of 2.32, with a descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). On the overall weighted mean, the government employee got the highest mean of 2.14 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). On the other hand, the self-

employed got the second highest mean, 1.93, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Moreover, the private employee got the third highest mean of 1.91, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Lastly, the unemployed got the lowest mean of 1.84, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). The overall results show that there is no significant difference on the extent of awareness of the respondents when employment status is considered. This is supported by the computed F-value of 1.91 and probability of 0.133. This implies that generally, employment status has no bearing on the extent of awareness of the respondents on Philhealth policies. Table 11. Extent of awareness of the inpatients at Benguet General Hospital regarding Philhealth policies when grouped together according to educational attainment ITEMS Employment Status Elementary High Graduate School Xw DE Xw DE 2.38 MA 2.22 MA 1.51 MA 1.74 MA Fc College Vocational Prob.

Xw DE Xw DE a.Membership 2.33 MA 1.93 MA 1.177ns 0.323 b.Coverage 1.84 MA 2.42 MA 3.631* 0.016 Benefits c.Qualified Legal 2.14 MA 2.33 MA 2.41 MA 2.39 MA 0.909ns 0.440 dependents d.Monthly 2.02 MA 2.06 MA 2.21 MA 2.27 MA 0.706ns 0.551 obligations of Philhealth members and effectivity of Philhealth policies Overall 1.69 MA 1.87 MA 1.97 MA 2.36 MA 3.023* 0.033 Weighted Mean Legend: Xw=Weighted Mean 2.50-3.00= Very Much Aware (VMA) DE=Descriptive Equivalent 1.50-2.49= Much Aware (MA)

tc=Computed t-value Prob.=Probability *=significant ns=not significant

1.00-1.49= Not Aware (NA)

Awareness of the Respondents on Philhealth Policies According to educational attainment Table 11 shows the extent of awareness of the respondents on Philhealth policies according to educational attainment. On item a, membership programs, the elementary graduate got the highest mean of 2.38 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). This is contradicted by Contada (1999), he recommended that educational level is significantly associated with the health status and awareness, thus, the college graduate must be most aware of the membership programs that insurances like Philhealth implement. On the other hand, the college graduate got the second highest mean, 2.33, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). The study conducted by Agbuya,et.al. (2008) reveals that the college graduates do not put into practice what they knew, while the elementary graduates are the ones who utilize their knowledge. The study discussed that since the college graduates are the ones more commonly employed, thus, they lack time in reading or listening to discussions regarding Philhealths membership programs. Moreover, the high school graduate got the third highest mean of 2.22, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Lastly, the vocational graduate got the lowest mean of 2.22, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA).

On the other hand, on item b, coverage benefits, the vocational graduate got the highest mean of 2.42, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). The college graduate got the second highest mean of 1.84, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). On the other hand, the high school graduate got the third highest mean of 1.74, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Lastly, the elementary graduate got the lowest mean of 1.51, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). According to Dodges (1998), the higher the educational level of the person, the more likely they are to express needs openly and obtain information that will assist them in coping with their illness; this partly explains why the vocational and college graduates were able to surpass the mean of the high school and elementary graduates in terms of awareness on the coverage benefits of Philhealth. The computed F-value is 3.631 with a probability of 0.016, thus, significant. Therefore, there is significant difference on the awareness of Philhealth policies on coverage benefits considering educational attainment as a variable. Educational attainment affects the extent of awareness of the respondents on Philhealth policies on coverage benefits. According to Duvall (1971), lack of education has a negative effect on the awareness of a person on several health programs which includes membership to health insurances like Philhealth. He further added that at times, the poorly-educated are not able to maintain the fine condition of their body due to lack of knowledge. As to item c, qualified legal dependents, the college graduate got the highest mean of 2.41, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Furthermore, the

vocational graduate ranked second with a mean of 2.39 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Third is the high school graduate with a mean of 2.33 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Lastly, the elementary graduate got the lowest rank, with a mean of 2.14 and a descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). It coincides with the finding that insurances programs information are more understood by the people with higher educational attainment (Ebrahim,2007). On the other hand, on item d, monthly obligations of Philhealth members and effectivity of Philhealth policies, the vocational graduate got the highest mean of 2.27, with a descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Furthermore, the college graduate ranked second with a mean of 2.21 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Third is the high school graduate with a mean of 2.06 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Lastly, the elementary graduate got the lowest rank, with a mean of 2.02 and a descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA).

On the overall weighted mean, the vocational graduate got the highest mean of 2.36, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Furthermore, the college graduate ranked second with a mean of 1.97 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Third is the high school graduate with a mean of 1.87 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Lastly, the elementary graduate got the lowest rank, with a mean of 1.69 and a descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA).

Overall, the vocational graduate got the highest weighted mean of 2.36, with a descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). On the other hand, the college graduate ranked second with a mean of 1.97 with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Third is the high school graduate with a mean of 1.87, with descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Lastly, the elementary graduate got the lowest rank, with a mean of 1.69 and a descriptive equivalent of moderately aware (MA). Filipinos pride themselves in having a high level of literacy. The ultimate goal of education is the effective participation on the individual in the total process of social interaction whether in terms of social, economic, health or any desirable human value. Ultimately, the changes in the social behavior as a result of education include the whole gamut of values and attitudes produced in the person and through the person within the group, this could explain why the elementary graduates got the lowest mean (Brenner,2003). The overall results also show that there is a significant difference on the extent of awareness of the respondents when educational attainment is considered. This is supported by the computed F-value of 3.023 and probability of 0.033. This implies that generally, educational attainment has a bearing on the extent of awareness of the respondents on Philhealth policies. This can be true because it is expected that people with higher educational level such as vocational or college graduates are expected to be more aware of the programs of the DOH and the National Health Insurance Program as compared to those who have lower level of education. (Batong,et al.,2005)

Problems Encountered by Respondents on Philhealth Services Table 12. Problems encountered by inpatients at Benguet General Hospital on Philheath services by the respondents ITEMS 1. Unapproachable staff 2. Limited staff to accommodate the needs of the members 3. Long process of availing the benefits 4. Too many requirements before availing the benefits 5. Instructions are not clearly stated by the staff assigned 6. None Qc=33.712* Probability= <0.01 N 26 19 38 35 15 46 % RANK 26 4 19 5 38 2 35 3 15 6 46 1 *=significant

Table 12 presents the problems encountered by inpatients at Benguet General Hospital on Philhealth services. Item no. 6, none, ranked first, which garnered 46% of the respondents. Thus, most of the respondents do not encounter any problems by inpatients at Benguet General Hospital. According to Rey B. Aquino, President and CEO of

Philhealth (2008), Philhealth has been working hard towards the achievement of providing the best service for Philhealth members. Furthermore, he emphasized that this was made possible through the partnerships forged with institutions which shared their aspirations with Philhealth. Raising the Bar, the annual report 2008 of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, added that problems regarding Philhealth services have been minimized due to the adaptation of the latest information and data sharing technologies. Ramasoc (2001) supported these statements, as she stated that the members of Philhealth are satisfied with the services offered by the latter. These findings are contradicted by a study conducted by Villacorta (2006), recommending that Philhealth and their members are not exempted from various problems in the services of their newly implemented

programs. Villacorta, furthermore, added that these problems should be addressed through continuing interface programs with the various sectors of society. Furthermore, Item no 3, long process of availing the benefits ranked second which gained 38 % of the respondents. Availing benefits comes in a continuous process. First, the member must submit a properly and completely filled-up Philhealth claim Form 1 to the hospital and ensure that all information stated in the form are true and factual. Also, the member must ensure that all the necessary documents including the Member Data Record are properly submitted to the hospital. Then, the member should ask a copy of their Statement of Account or Billing Statement Official receipt and Waiver from the hospital upon discharge. Lastly, the member should ensure that their claim, if opted for direct filing is filed at Philhealth within 60 days from the date of discharge for local confinements, and within 180 days for confinements abroad (www.philhealth.gov.ph). This finding is also supported by a study conducted by Ramasoc (2006) concluding that though the members of Philhealth are satisified with the services it offers, the tedious process and procedures in the availment of the services and benefits should be restructured to avoid, prevent or eliminate bureaucratic red tape. On the other hand, Item no.4, too many requirements before availing the benefits ranked third gaining 35 % of the respondents. This is supported by a study entitled The Effectiveness and Efficiency of Healthcare Delivery by Philhealth Accredited Hospitals in Dagupan City which concluded that one of the highest ranked problems on Philhealth services is the complicated and too many requirements asked before member can avail of

the benefits. Philhealth management should review how to simplify the requirements needed before discharge by decreasing the requirements. A thorough examination must be conducted to identify which requirements are valuable and those that are not must b removed. Hospital personnel assigned at the billing section should immediately attend to all the requirements of patients and inform them to secure the documents needed before discharge from the hospital (Tamondong,2004). Though the process of availing benefits is sometimes, rigorous, the conditions for entitlement of benefits was sufficiently observed by the Philhealth members (Gadgad,2006). Item no. 1, unapproachable staff ranked fourth garnering 26% of the respondents. Also, item no. 3, limited staff to accommodate the members followed on the fifth rank gaining 19% of the respondents. Lastly, item no. 5, instructions are not clearly stated by the staff assigned ranked sixth, having 16% of the respondents. These problems are related with the staff of Philhealth rendering services to their members. Tamondong (2004) has included these problems in the list of problems inpatients are experiencing in Philhealth-accredited hospitals. She further recommends that for these problems to be minimized, hospital administrations should provide continuous trainings and seminars that will address the inefficiency of staff during the admission of patients as well as to improve the attitude of the personnel towards their clients. As said in the news section of the official website of Philhealth dated July 30, 2009, customer satisfaction is essential to the organizations success. It is often linked to both personal interaction with the service provider and the outcome experienced by the service user. With this regard, Philhealth

offices or accredited hospitals must be able to hire and train the best staff to give full customer satisfaction to their members (www.philhealth.gov).