Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian in Cagayan de Oro City on Nov. 22. (Photo by Franck Dick Rosete)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The provincial government of Misamis Oriental and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on zero balance billing that can be availed of by residents in eight Misamis Oriental Provincial Hospitals (MOPHs).
The MOA, which was signed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, will enable the provision of financial aid under the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) to indigent patients from the provincial government-run hospitals in the towns of Magsaysay, Claveria, Manticao, Balingasag, Talisayan, Initao, Alubijid, and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said this is a “more efficient format” for ensuring the assistance under AICS to be provided to the people than providing financial aid personally to the beneficiaries.
“We gave it to the right beneficiary, but the beneficiary did not use it for what it was intended for,” Gatchalian said.
The MOA provides that the provincial government will designate at least one medical social worker each to the eight hospitals who will review the patients’ documentary requirements and recommend the assistance to DSWD-Region 10. The necessary documents will all be submitted through a digital platform to ease the burden on the family of the patients.
Misamis Oriental Provincial Administrator John Venice Ladaga said they already made some improvements to the internet connectivity at the MOPH locations, which has been supervised by the management information department, in order not to hamper the online transactions.
Misamis Oriental Provincial Administrator John Venice Ladaga answers questions from the media after the ceremonial signing of the memorandum of agreement held in Cagayan de Oro City on Nov. 22. (Photo by Franck Dick Rosete)
The requirements will be reviewed and assessed by the DSWD social worker. If a client is eligible, the agency’s social worker will validate the recommended amount of assistance.
Under the agreement, if the beneficiary is an inpatient for discharge, a guarantee letter will be provided for up to P50,000 to cover the incurred hospital bill. The same amount will be provided to outpatients who need to undergo laboratory procedures within the premises of the LGU Misamis Oriental.
For beneficiaries who are outpatient but need to undergo laboratory procedures outside the premises of the provincial government, they will be endorsed to the Crisis Intervention Section for assessment for possible provision of medical assistance through outright cash up to P10,000 or a guarantee letter for up to P50,000, whichever is deemed necessary.
The social workers from DSWD-10 will also issue a letter of disapproval if a client is found ineligible for assistance.
The provincial administrator said more or less P3 million will be allocated for each MOPH.
The are looking at including private hospitals in the province.
“After three months of good implementation of this, hopefully, according to Mr. Secretary, we will,” Ladaga said.
Secretary Gatchalian explained that every LGU has a separate AICS program that can be availed of by eligible beneficiaries, recognizing the fact that there are crisis situations outside the medical institutions.
Misamis Oriental is the first LGU in Mindanao and the second in the country to implement the zero balance billing agreement after the province of Pampanga.