Govs share strategies, innovations in maximizing health investment

By Provincial Media Relations Center
October 11, 2012

TACLOBAN CITY  –  The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is calling for innovations that would go beyond enrolling all Filipino citizens under the government’s health coverage, and maximizing health investments.

This was the main focus in the recently held 2nd Governor’s Forum on PhilHealth attended by governors from various provinces in the region and other parts of the country.

The forum, held at the Oriental Hotel - Leyte, was aimed to inform governors of their sponsored program enrolment and to help them improve government hospital operations and management.

According to Philhealth-8 Regional Executive Vice-President Walter Bacareza, enrolling members for Philhealth is not anymore a problem in the region as already, 96% of the total populace in the Eastern Visayas is already covered by PhilHealth. Of this figure, the province of Leyte posts the highest number of PhilHealth covered population which numbers to more or less 250,000 for 2012.

“Our target now is how we can give our members better access and what other benefits we can add on to ensure that every member is protected,” Bacareza said.

Among those who shared best practices, strategies and health innovations was Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla, whose health initiatives of starting the Mother Bles Birthing Clinics in and outside the region, was lauded by PhilHealth and other health organization in the country.

Gov. Petilla likewise shared during the forum Leyte’s Special Service Fee (SSF) scheme implemented among provincial and district hospitals run by the provincial government of Leyte. The governor explained how the province provide incentive to its doctors, nurses and other non-medical staff using the said scheme.

This Special Service Fee (SSF) scheme was awarded as one of the Top 10 finalists for Best in Health Market Innovations in 2012 that gave the governor the Galing-Likha Kalusugan Award.

Other governors who attended the forum included Northern Samar Gov. Paul Daza, Southern Leyte Gov. Damian Mercado, Catanduanes Gov. Joseph Cua and representatives of the governors of Samar and Eastern Samar provinces.