By MARICYN DE LOS SANTOS

JORDAN – In support of the National Health Insurance “Sponsored Program” which benefits the indigents, the Province of Guimaras signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) yesterday at Guimaras Trade and Industry Center, Provincial Capitol here.

Leading the MOA signing were Guimaras Governor Felipe Hilan Nava and Dr. Dennis Mas, PhilHealth regional vice president for Western Visayas.

Under the MOA, the local government of Guimaras will pay for the premium of those not included in the National Household Targeting System, which is being paid by the national government.

For this year, the provincial government will pay P6.23 million-worth of premiums for the 10,393 members enrolled in PhilHealth as of December last year. Of these members, 1,804 are from the town of Buenavista, Jordan – 2,804, Nueva Valencia – 3,017, San Lorenzo – 1,523 and Sibunag – 1,245.

The LGU availed of the P1,200 annual premium payments for a lock-in period of two years, instead of the P2,400.

Guimaras is the last province to renew agreement with PhilHealth.

Mas said PhilHealth would continue to work to expand by 20 percent their coverage in Western Visayas. Last year, he said that around 81 percent of the projected population in the region was covered by PhilHealth.

Meanwhile, Nava vowed to continuously provide target beneficiaries with health assistance from PhilHealth – on top of other health assistance initiatives of the province such as the Guimaras Health Insurance Program.

The GHIP benefits around 10,000 beneficiaries and the bulk of its payments goes to Guimaras Provincial Hospital, the governor explained.

“It’s a good program considering that the income of the provincial hospital increased to P30 million this year from the P7 million earned last 2007,” Nava said.

This year, Nava said the province plans to expand the coverage of PhilHealth and GHIP in Guimaras to provide the much needed health services of the indigents and in support of the universal health coverage target of the national government.

These are in addition to the existing health programs focused on nutrition and disease prevention in the province, he concluded.*