At least 10,758 residents have availed of hospitalization assistance under the Bacolod City Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP) as of November this year, data on Friday, Nov. 22, showed.
The beneficiaries are among the 267,319 registered members under the BAcCHP – about 71,887 have been issued with family health cards.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez acknowledged all seven hospitals in Bacolod for partnering with the city government in implementing the BacCHP.
Since the program started on May 1 last year, over P100 million has been disbursed for hospitalization assistance to members.
On Nov. 5, the city government received P50 million more from the Department of Health after Benitez requested assistance to cover rising healthcare costs.
The DOH-approved funding will go directly to the seven accredited hospitals.
Under the BacCHP ordinance, the city government provides P15,000 for each health card holder and coverage for hospital bills for their dependents.
The city’s partner medical facilities include the Department of Health-retained Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital and private healthcare institutions Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital, South Bacolod General Hospital and Medical Center, Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital (Riverside Medical Center, Inc.), Bacolod Adventist Medical Center, The Doctor’s Hospital, and Metro Bacolod Hospital and Medical Center.
During admission, private hospitals will not require a deposit or downpayment from a BacCHP member.
Aside from the BacCHP assistance, charges covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation are also deducted from the total bill, and patients are advised to seek assistance from national government agencies to help cover other costs.*PNA