PCSO to pay for doctors' fees

The Manila Times

PCSO to pay for doctors' fees  House of Representatives' Deputy Majority Leader for Communications Erwin Tulfo, together with Philippine Medical Association President Hector Santos Jr. and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office General Manager Melquiades Robles, announces that the PCSO will be shouldering the professional fees of doctors by October, thereby alleviating the burden of indigent patients.  Robles said that originally, the PCSO did not allow the medical funds to be used as payment of professional fees but after the meeting with Speaker Martin Romualdez, the charity gaming arm agreed to allow the use of its medical assistance as payment of doctors' professional fees.   Video by Red Mendoza  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe   Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net     Follow us:  Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook   Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram   Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter   DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion     Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital     Check out our Podcasts:  Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify   Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts   Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic   Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer  Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein  #themanilatimes  #philippines #pcso #medical

Transcript

00:00The professional fee or the doctor's fees that are not covered by the Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients or Prisons,

00:10that are not covered by AICS because the doctors are not accepting it,

00:15this afternoon, the PCSO agreed that they will pay the professional fee.

00:20With that, and then you have field health,

00:24so it's like there's almost no cash out for our indigent patients, even in private hospitals.

00:32They will answer that this is the problem.

00:36It's okay in government hospitals, but in private institutions hospitals,

00:42this problem is the professional fee.

00:44With that, earlier, there was an agreement because of the speaker's conversation with the PCSO

00:51and the Philippine Medical Association.

00:54They agreed that the doctors will accept the GL or Guarantee Letter from PCSO as professional fee.

01:03Even if there are three doctors, that's what GML Robles said earlier,

01:07even if there are three doctors, they will answer the PCSO's professional fee for P10,000.

01:14So with that, our universal healthcare will be more efficient

01:20because even the PF of our doctors will be answered by PCSO.

01:27And I believe Dr. Santos will also have this statement.

01:32What will happen is, as I told Tom last night,

01:36sometimes, the doctors are the ones who are the last to be paid.

01:42Because our chiefs are the first ones in the hospital so that the patients can go home.

01:48Now, the doctors, they would usually just accept as a promissory note

01:54that we sometimes wait for two or three months,

01:58if God wills it, we will be paid PN, but usually not.

02:03So, it's up to God.

02:05So, that's the first reason.

02:07That's the reason why sometimes, some doctors don't accept the case

02:11because they know that no one can afford the PF.

02:15So, they would suggest going to the government hospitals.

02:18But then, there are doctors who are really specialists,

02:22they are the ones who will chase the patients.

02:24And being given this opportunity now,

02:27I was promised by PCSO,

02:29because before, PCSO didn't pay the professional fee.

02:33So, that's what's left.

02:35So, sometimes, the patient can't afford it

02:37or the patient has to pay out-of-pocket for the professional fee.

02:41So, we have agreed and we are thankful for this breakthrough agreement

02:46that PCSO will now be paying for the professional fees of doctors

02:51as a, again, of course, a guarantee letter.

02:55But then, at least we know the doctors

02:57that there will be a payment for their professional fee.

03:02So, what we give is a guarantee letter.

03:04If someone comes to us,

03:06there are certain documents that we require.

03:08Among them is the final billing.

03:10From the final billing,

03:12then we, among other documents,

03:14we generate the guarantee letter.

03:16Unfortunately, that guarantee letter does not cover professional fees.

03:20So, it may be that everyone has already paid the fee,

03:24but most of the time, the professional fee remains.

03:29In PCSO, we pay the guarantee letter under 30 days.

03:35We are allowed under the guidelines to pay within 45 days,

03:39but in practice, we do under 30 days.

03:42And the issuance of the guarantee letter comes out

03:46when the document is completed, within 24 hours.

03:49Of course, how can we get the benefits of the PCSO?

03:56And in PFA, how assured are you that, of course,

04:00this deal with the PCSO will allow you to pay?

04:06Of course, we know that the doctors are having a hard time.

04:10They are thinking that their payments under the PFA may be delayed.

04:14So, how assured are you that this new deal with the PCSO

04:18will assure you that you will be able to pay?

04:22Well, we are very happy with this agreement.

04:25Because we do trust the PCSO.

04:27We have a long history of being a beneficiary of the PCSO grants.

04:32So, at least now, we know what will come for those promissory notes.

04:38And this is a long-term practice.

04:41Even for us, in our office, our Action Center,

04:45we have referrals to the PCSO.

04:50We bring them to the PCSO.

04:52The PCSO gives them.

04:56If there's still something missing, usually,

04:58when we ask the person who will come to us,

05:01I come from a congressman like this,

05:03I was given by Mahib, I came from TSW,

05:06there's still something missing.

05:07So, usually, we send them to PCSO.

05:09Before, everything was already covered.

05:12So, the excess, that's what is given

05:16for the professionality of the doctors.

05:19So, it's been a long practice that the PCSO is helping.

05:24GM, how much is our fund for medical assistance?

05:30For this year, we allocated 3.8 billion for charity.

05:35That's all of it.

05:37I don't have the exact figures for the medical.

05:40We call it the Medical Assistance Program.

05:43So, it's sizable.

05:45We take it from the 3.8 billion.

05:49In fact, 40% of our charity,

05:53when I mentioned 3.8,

05:55it's net already of our contributions

05:58to universal health care.

06:00So, 40% of charity goes to universal health care.

06:0460% of our charity is the figure I quoted.

06:10GM, your budget has already increased

06:13in your office, I think, on the first day.

06:16For 2025, net.

06:19How's the budget for that, sir?

06:22Do you have anything to ask

06:24with this new pronouncement,

06:26that would be additional,

06:27so that the fund can go through next year?

06:30To begin with, our budget for 2025,

06:34we haven't received a call yet.

06:36We need a budget call before we receive a budget.

06:39So, we haven't started our budget for 2025.

06:43And, as a matter of practice,

06:45we generate our own funds.

06:47We do not ask from the Congress.

06:49So, to answer your question,

06:53we will not ask any subsidy from Congress.

06:56Now, if they accuse us,

06:58then, wow.

07:00Okay, sorry.

07:02But, for next year,

07:04will you add the 3.6 billion?

07:06I mean, the estimate?

07:08We are hoping.

07:09We have some measures,

07:10so it's premature to say.

07:12So, we are hoping

07:14that there will be some innovations

07:16in the budget,

07:17and even the requirements of DOF.

07:19But, of course, that's legislation.

07:21We're working on that.

07:22And, we are hoping

07:23that our budget will increase.

07:24That's our trend.

07:26It's always towards increasing the budget.

07:29Redmundo, from the Manila Times.

07:33Are the hospitals aware of this?

07:35Because, of course,

07:37the doctors are one thing.

07:39But, are the hospitals

07:41aware of this?

07:43What is the reaction

07:45of the hospitals

07:47regarding this?

07:49And, just to clarify to GM,

07:51the funds that will be given,

07:53is it either

07:55professional fee

07:57or hospital expenses?

07:59Is it either or?

08:03You have two questions.

08:05For the hospitals,

08:07I cannot answer.

08:09But, what we're saying is

08:11it's omnibus.

08:13You can use it anywhere.

08:15So, there's nothing wrong.

08:17Even room.

08:19We used to qualify that.

08:21So, it's not just professional fee.

08:23Even room.

08:25And, we do not qualify

08:27for government or private.

08:29Because, sometimes,

08:31only available room.

08:33So, it's not just professional fee.

08:35But, there will come by room.

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