Indigent patients can now avail of POC or POS
LINGAYEN—The provincial government continues to support the sick among the less-privileged through the continued implementation of the Point-of-Care (POC) program.
The POC enrollment scheme will continue alongside the Point-of-Service (POS) in accordance with PhilHealth Circular 2013-0032.
Dr. Anna Ma. Teresa De Guzman, provincial health officer, said the PhilHealth Board has issued a directive that patients who are registered PhilHealth members or dependents without coverage assessed as financially incapable, may be enrolled in either the POS or POC program whichever is applicable.
POS requires submission of more documents by would-be enrollees. “Sa POS kasi ang ine-enroll ‘yong isang tao lang pero sa POC ‘yong “head of the family” mismo kaya ang lahat sa pamilya pwede nang magamit ang health insurance,” De Guzman said.
She also clarified that under POC, it is the provincial government that pays for the premiums of enrollees while in POS, it is the Department of Budget and Management that provides for the premium payment to PhilHealth.
Earlier, the POS was implemented pursuant to PhilHealth Circular No. 2017-0011 which took effect last July 1 with the introduction of Onsite Rapid Enrolment (ORE) System to modify registration process.
The POC-ORE system was re-enabled recently to accept enrolment and “authorized system users” may continue to use their credentials to log in.
Per PhilHealth guidelines, the Department of Health (DOH) Surgical Caravan patients considered as financially incapable and were admitted without existing coverage prior to July 1, 2017 are enrolled in POC whereas those admitted July 1, 2017 onwards shall be enrolled in POS.
The POC enrolment system in Pangasinan was implemented on November 14, 2013 during the administration of then governor and now 5th District Representative Amado T. Espino, Jr. The program provided non-PhilHealth members the full health package benefits at the time of their admission to the government hospitals.
The POC was designed to further strengthen the “No Balance Billing Policy” and “No Payout from the Pocket” in the government hospitals (PIO/RRB)
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