By Annabel Consuelo Petinglay
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is calling on residents of Antique to help raise awareness about the Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (Konsulta) program, which was launched in the province on Tuesday.
Janet Monteverde, acting vice president of PhilHealth-Western Visayas, highlighted that the program offers various services including consultation, selected laboratory tests, health screening, and medicines from accredited providers.
“I urge the people of Antique to champion the Konsulta program, ensuring that those who are not yet aware of its benefits become informed and take advantage of the services,” Monteverde stated.
Junie Sabusap, head of PhilHealth-Antique, confirmed that all government hospitals in the province and rural health units across the 18 towns are accredited providers.
During the caravan, 250 had their first encounter with doctors, including 62-year-old Raymundo Gerona from Barangay Maybato Norte of this town.
“Through the Konsulta program, I could avail of free consultation and maintenance medicines,” Gerona, who is afflicted with diabetes, said.
The Konsulta program was first implemented in Antique in January 2023.
Accredited facilities receive a capitation fund of PHP500 for each member and dependent who registered and availed of the program.
“Capitation fund is a payment mechanism where Konsulta health providers are paid for their services to keep them sustainable,” Sabusap said.
Antique has already availed of PHP4 million capitation fund, with the San Jose de Buenavista RHU receiving the highest at PHP1.99 million among accredited package providers in Western Visayas as of December 2023.
San Jose de Buenavista Mayor Elmer Untaran said the capitation fund enabled them to hire primary care physicians and purchase medicines. (PNA)
