2. How does the agency contribute to the Social Protection component of the Philippine Development Plan? a. Specific steps the agency is taking in order to help the realization of the PDP - Since the agency urges its members to use government hospitals, they have initiated a policy of no balance-billing. These means that poor and indigent members should not be asked to pay for use of these facilities. It is a guarantee of 100% support value from the agency. - But they admit that the system is also being implemented improperly by erring hospitals. (i.e. the hospital asking the patient to buy medicines outside the facility and then being reimbursed once PhilHealth pays the hospital) - There are also LGUs which have no hospital or other health facility. This is especially true in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) - Under the UHC law, priority for health resources will be the GIDA. There will also be incentives given to health professionals who are willing to be stationed to these areas. - Strengthening the Primary Care Benefit Package. This program works like an outpatient benefit package HMO wherein you get free check-ups/consultation with registered doctors, this will include free diagnostics and laboratory testing and will act as preventive care for members. This has been done for the poor/indigent for the past 15 years, but as said before, some LGUs are not equipped with facilities to provide this service. Under the UHCL, all members will be able to enjoy this program. - Some doctors only care about their honorarium/professional fees than providing quality health service. - Started in 2018, those in the employed sector can choose who can give them a primary care package. It can be directly thru PhilHealth or a PhilHealth accredited HMO. - The primary care package will also act as a “navigator” for members to know if they need to avail first level or a higher level of care. - The agency has a partnership with DepEd to include PhilHealth information in the K to 12 Curriculum. They developed modules to teach Grade 10 students about the benefits of the National Health Insurance system as they will be the future beneficiaries of this. There are also partnerships with some tertiary education institutions to create modules on health financing and insurance. This will also encompass the teaching of social solidarity and social justice. b. The other components of the UHCL which will contribute directly to the PDP and realization of the right to social security - It is to be understood that the UHCL is not for PhilHealth only, it is the entire reform of the health sector. The UHCL has three components: -Population coverage – enrollment of the population to PhilHealth -Service coverage – in here there is a big role to be played by the public and private health sector as well as the national (thru DOH) and local governments. It is encompassed thru the Health Service Delivery Network which will become the new system of accreditation for PhilHealth (pending in IRR). This network of health services covers primary care until higher level of health care. (works like referral system of HMOs) 60