Health cmte seeks sustainability of free check-up ordinance

“I’D like to know unsa ka efficient ang atong CHIO (City Health Insurance Office) in finding the claims of the profiles gathered for several months, para ma-sustain gyud unta nato ni (ang proposed ordinance). I will talk with the OIC of CHIO regarding this, before we approve this ordinance kay sayang man gud kung dili ma-claim ang na profile nila sa mga barangay.”    

Councilor Maria Lourdes S. Gaane pointed this out in a meeting last week of the Committee on Health, Nutrition and Health Insurance during deliberation on the passage of the proposed ordinance providing for free annual comprehensive medical check-ups and laboratory exams to all residents in Cagayan de Oro with prioritization to the senior citizens, solo parents and persons with disabilities in government health facilities under the City Government of Cagayan de Oro.

Gaane also expressed thanks to Dr. Francis A. Ramos, Medical Specialist and KONSULTA Focal Person of Philhealth-Region 10, for commending the proposed ordinance authored by Vice Mayor Bebot Rodriguez, citing that it is geared towards integrating its coverage with the Universal Health Care (UHC) and programs of PhilHealth.

Ramos said that PhilHealth can give support to the ordinance through its national programs.

“PhilHealth would like to highlight that instead of the city’s one-way expenditure, there is now an opportunity for reimbursement and augmentation. So makahatag og support value ang PhilHealth sa consultations for all residents sa Cagayan de Oro. Support value which means a percentage sa inyong nagasto iuli ni PhilHealth sa inyoha,” the medical official emphasized.

He further said that PhilHealth will pay for all the services as part of its KONSULTA program and set to tap into the services given by the facilities under the CHO, JRBGH and other city hospitals to patients in the city.

The proposed ordinance will be discussed again as soon as relevant considerations are resolved.