The Government Service Insurance System has given P233.4 million in cumulative hospitalization discounts to its members and pensioners under its GSIS Hospitalization Support Program as of September 2009, a GSIS press release said.

The discounts prove that the GHSP is the most generous and effective corporate social responsibility program of the pension fund, it also said.

About 158,615 patients have availed of the program from its inception in 2004 up to end of September 2009.

Under the GHSP, GSIS members, their dependents and old-age pensioners can avail of discounts in medical services from partner-hospitals, including outpatient services and emergency cases, medicines, as well as discounts in professional fees of select physicians.

The program works like an exchange deal between the GSIS and the partner-hospitals where the pension fund buys medical equipment and lends these to the select hospitals.

In exchange, the affiliate hospitals provide discounts to GSIS members and pensioners. The pieces of medical equipment remain the property of the GSIS, the press release said.

Patients can avail of a 50 percent discount if they use the medical equipment lent by the GSIS to the hospital; 40 percent discount if they undergo special diagnostic procedures; 35 percent for common procedures; and 30 percent on room rates.

They can also avail of 10 percent discount on professional fees including consultation fees while dependents of members get a flat discount rate of 10 percent.

If the patient has an eCard, he may just present this card to the GSIS coordinator in the partner-hospital upon admission to avail of the discounts.

The GHSP can also be used in combination with the Philhealth card and health maintenance organization card of the patient.

In availing of the hospitalization discount, Philhealth will be applied first, followed by the HMO and finally the GHSP, the press release added.*

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