The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in Romblon continues to expand its reach by bringing essential services directly to barangays, despite the province being classified as a Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area (GIDA).
PhilHealth Romblon Chief Social Insurance Officer Leandro Flores explained that their initiative, which began last year, focuses on registering residents in remote areas for PhilHealth membership and the Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (KonSulTa) program.
KonSulTa program provides outpatient consultations, laboratory tests, and medications, giving members access to quality healthcare services even without hospitalization.
Despite traveling to these distant barangays, PhilHealth Romblon has registered thousands of residents despite the logistical challenges.
PhilHealth has already enrolled 12,760 individuals from Romblon’s population of 306,956 into the KonSulTa program. These enrollees used ₱810,149.60 in payments to accredited KonSulTa healthcare providers in the province as of September 6, 2024.
“This year, we aim to increase our registration rate, especially for the KonSulTa program. Last year, our focus was primarily on enrolling new PhilHealth members, but now we’re concentrating on expanding access to KonSulTa,” Flores said.
PhilHealth has been coordinating with local government units (LGUs) to further ensure successful outreach. LGUs help gather residents during barangay forums, ensuring a higher turnout and making it easier for people to register.
During the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum on September 10, PhilHealth MIMAROPA and Batangas Regional Vice President Jerry Ibay emphasized the importance of registering for PhilHealth to access the benefits of the KonSulTa packages.
Ibay described the program as a “game-changer” because it allows members to utilize their contributions even when they are not fully sick.
At present, out of the 32 healthcare providers in Romblon, 20 are already accredited to serve as KonSulTa partners, ensuring that more members have access to outpatient services across the province.
This initiative is a significant step toward enhancing healthcare access in GIDA areas, providing residents with much-needed medical support and preventive care.
