PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Dr. Eduardo Banzon yesterday said the target of his office is to ensure universal health care coverage for Negros Occidental by Feb. 17, 2013.

Banzon was in Bacolod City to sign Memorandums of Agreement with Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. for the provincial government and the mayors of Negros Occidental for their towns and cities for a modified premium payment scheme by the local government units to PhilHealth over a two- year period.

The provincial government will pay for the PhilHealth coverage of 50,000 indigent households while component LGUs aim to cover 99,786 households for a total of P89,871,600 this year, PhilHealth data shows.

Under the modified scheme, the LGUs will register their indigent beneficiaries for a two-year coverage, by paying only P600 now, and the remaining P1,800 at the end of 2013.

Banzon said nearly all provinces in the country are in the final stages of signing similar MOAs.

“The Philippines is becoming like Negros,” he said, citing the more aggressive coverage of indigents under the health insurance system lately.

At the signing rites at L’Fisher Chalet Hotel, Banzon bared efforts undertaken by PhilHealth to improve its services, expand benefits and at reaching universal health care coverage nationwide.

Meanwhile, Marañon urged the mayors of Negros Occidental to step up the identification of indigent beneficiaries for coverage by the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program.

The initial target was to enroll 170,000 beneficiaries that was reduced to 150,000, but, to date, only about 77,000 provincewide have been enrolled, he added.

He said a top performer in the enrollment of beneficiaries is the sixth district of Negros Occidental because Rep. Mercedes Alvarez has been following up its progress.

Mayors who signed MOAs with PhilHealth yesterday for coverage of their indigent constituents were: Eric Saratan of Talisay, Jose Montelibano – Silay City, Andrew Montelibano – Murcia, Mario Magno – San Enrique, Lourdes Escalante – Manapla, Ma. Teresa Bilbao – Hinobaan, Juliet Marie Ferrer – La Carlota City, Francis Malabor – Isabela, John Rey Tabujara – Cauayan, Francisco Nazareno – Moises Padilla and Alberto Nicor Jr. – La Castellana.*CPG

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