Basic Health Care for the POOR Pinoys
By Daddy Neil
@neildc (17238)
Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
December 7, 2009 2:37am CST
Lately, I experienced some kinda embarrassing health problem. Not to mention the condition of my youngest son (who still needs to be tested for sleep apnea), mine is a little lighter but like I said, embarrassing. Filipinos know about "pigsa", "matag tiki" or "boil" or carbuncle. This is something painful, considering the size and the location (which was below the butt).
So far, I feel better now. But I spent a lot of money, just for the medicines, no operation been made so far.
I am working, so I can say, I am a bit luckier than people in the urban places.
I earn, but what I earn is not even enough for the basic needs of my family.
I always have difficulty in budgeting, especially when it not a payday.
Although I am a member of PhilHealth, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, not all health conditions and problems are covered. It says that, you need to be confined for at least 24 hours to be able to get certain benefit. Less than that, out-patients, are not covered.
: http://www.philhealth.gov.ph/
Do I really need to be confined, to get the service, from my money?
And what if it happens to people, poorer than me?
There are some reported incidents of death from sickness.
And they are the ones who has no money, the poor.
So when the new President has been elected in 2010, can we expect better health care for the people?
When can we get better with the poor health care offered by the government?
If you are not a Filipino, do you have a good basic health care provided by your government? Do you have to be rich in your country to be healthier?
3 people like this
11 responses
@jaiho2009 (39140)
• Philippines
7 Dec 09
Hello neil,
This is the naked truth behind our government promoting health care and better education and etc(
)
And the worst is...non NGO that are trying to help to reach out the poor citizens of our country with their programs are not being acknowledge by our government and........even deprived from doing so.
I can still remember how our medical mission was shoo away by the municipal officials and even treating us with tress passing,when our coordinators are well organize with all the necessary proceedings.
And would you believe about it?????? MEDICAL MISSION...ACCUSED OF TRESS PASSING (HUH 
)
The residents of that city raged with anger and even shouted to the officials..."i voted for you,but you never done any medical mission...and now here are people willing to give us the service that YOU SHOULD BE GIVING TO US...AND,SHAME ON YOU TO DRIVE THEM AWAY" (hahaha,what a laugh)
The residents of that place helps us fight those nuts officials...and that makes our medical mission worth the stay.
We also had our free bus rides and mrt rides and our medical mission is given daily at our tv station ...and still our government are not following these examples we are trying to make their eyes and heart open and show them how much services our countrymen really needs.
)
And the worst is...non NGO that are trying to help to reach out the poor citizens of our country with their programs are not being acknowledge by our government and........even deprived from doing so.
I can still remember how our medical mission was shoo away by the municipal officials and even treating us with tress passing,when our coordinators are well organize with all the necessary proceedings.
And would you believe about it?????? MEDICAL MISSION...ACCUSED OF TRESS PASSING (HUH )
The residents of that city raged with anger and even shouted to the officials..."i voted for you,but you never done any medical mission...and now here are people willing to give us the service that YOU SHOULD BE GIVING TO US...AND,SHAME ON YOU TO DRIVE THEM AWAY" (hahaha,what a laugh)
The residents of that place helps us fight those nuts officials...and that makes our medical mission worth the stay.
We also had our free bus rides and mrt rides and our medical mission is given daily at our tv station ...and still our government are not following these examples we are trying to make their eyes and heart open and show them how much services our countrymen really needs.2 people like this
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
8 Dec 09
the kind of administration we have now is one of the worst ever in our history. i wish May 2010 is tomorrow, so that we can start to make the change, but still, we have no assurance of what the change will be, for our good or theirs?
i am glad to hear that you are one of those NGO's who are helping our people. but it's sad to hear, that even your in the good side of giving the poor, medical aide, you were still deprived of exercising that good act. how can they be acting like that?
i am glad to hear that you are one of those NGO's who are helping our people. but it's sad to hear, that even your in the good side of giving the poor, medical aide, you were still deprived of exercising that good act. how can they be acting like that? @jaiho2009 (39140)
• Philippines
7 Dec 09
*uhmmnn...threating us with tress passing (not treating..errorrrrrr)
1 person likes this
@LetranKnight25 (33117)
• Philippines
8 Dec 09
hello sis,
Procedures? 
you mean permits from the municipality, right? who are these officials, they should be complained, what is their purpose if they have approved your request to go there and do a medical mission. there is really disturbing, probably rallies can be dispersed but medical missions? they are just to selfish am not surprised if there's even an anomaly there. 
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
7 Dec 09
I do so hope you get better health benefits with the election next year! I know, personally, what it is like to not have medical coverage when you need it. I went years without any health insurance but that didn't stop my health problems.
Our government gives everyone on Social Security hospital insurance but we must pay if we went coverage to see doctors, get medicine, have lab tests, etc. What we have to pay for these benefits can be half or more of what monetary benefits we get! They definitely do NOT give us enough to live on. We are "allowed" (how kind of them) to work and earn a small amount of money each month but, if we earn even one dollar over that amount, they begin to deduct it from our Social Security checks.
Yes, you do have to be rich in this country to be healthy, unless you are naturally very healthy and that doesn't happen to many people, especially those of advanced age. My mother and stepfather were able to get very good medical care but only because he earned $125.00 an hour as a consulting engineer. He could afford the best supplemental health insurance and pay in cash for what the insurance did not cover.
We are fighting for a national health care system. Well, everyone except the very rich are fighting for it. The United States is the ONLY industrialized country in the world without a national health care system. Why, I do not know. Maybe it's the ultra-rich who enjoy excellent health care coverage who are fighting this plan. They don't want to pay a penny in tax money to support what they consider "lazy, good-for-nothings". Most of the poor in this country are not poor by choice!
I believe that every human being in the world deserves to receive excellent healthcare. Not many people get sick because they WANT to!
I hope you get better health care coverage with your elections next year!
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
8 Dec 09
philhealth is i guess, the same as the one you have for hospital insurance, and we are also paying for it. we have the option of availing for the said insurance if we are working. but just like what i have said, not all that you need for your health problems are covered by. first thing on this, out-patient cases are not covered, and should be more than 24 hours of confinement, to be able to use philhealth. and yes, not all the medicines are also covered.
it's just bad to know that US, one of the most powerful, industrialized country in the world have no national health care system. to think that, as i heard from some relatives of my wife in the canada, that their health program in that part of north america is very good. my wife's relatives are not yet residents or canadian citizens, but because they are working there, and they are paying their taxes, they can avail of the health benefits, hospitalization and even operations. i guess, they are all free?
well, with the elections coming, the only hope we can expect from the candidates, and whoever will be declared winner, is to stick with their promise and do what they are telling the people, during the campaign period. healthcare is one of the greatest issues to consider in the next administration, the next president.
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
10 Dec 09
i also hope that our next president will not just be in power to make him or her richer in money and in power. i hope he/she will be the next power of the poor. problem with our elections here, people can be bought. candidates who have more money can buy more votes. although there are still more people that can't be bought, but because there are more poor voters, they can be dictated by candidates' money. too sad to think that this can't be stopped even there is the law that restricts vote-buying.
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
8 Dec 09
Yes, the biggest issue is whether or not the elected candidate will keep his promises. They all promise such wonderful changes when they are running for election but so many of them forget those promises once they are in the position to make those changes.
I think part of the reason our President Obama was elected was due to his campaign promises. So far, he's been true to his word, although I'm sure there are those who would disagree with me, people who do not like him. He's trying to get health care reform in our country but it's an uphill battle because the big insurance companies are trying to stop him any way they can. The big insurance companies are one of the very few businesses who have seen record profits in today's economy and the greedy so-and-so's don't want to lose that.
I've heard that Canada has excellent health care. I saw a documentary where a woman here in the U.S. had been diagnosed with cancer and was denied benefits because her insurance company said treatment for her problem was "not medically necessary". Right. Treatment for cancer not medically necessary. That made me so angry! Anyway, she went up to Canada and not only got the treatment that saved her life but she got it for free!
The U.S. is full of greedy pigs, greedy unscrupulous pigs. They don't care who they hurt, they only care about profits. Oh, us little peons at the bottom of the ladder aren't the greedy ones, we're the ones getting hurt by the large corporations whose only reason for existance is the bottom line: money.
Our "powerful" country is only good for the rich. The middle-class struggle hard and the poor are often ignored.
Sorry, I didn't mean to start ranting. I've just had more than enough frustration because of the way our government works. Grrrrrrrr!!!
I certainly hope that you get someone in power after your election who will make changes for the better for the people in your country.
I certainly hope that you get someone in power after your election who will make changes for the better for the people in your country.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
7 Dec 09
I don't want to put too much hope in our next president. There are so many problems a poor Filipino faces and those that are hit the hardest are the poor and the middle class. I can say that I am in a middle class family, having brothers working abroad who send money home. But when my mother had her chemotherapy, we were near broke month after month because of her treatments. And this was also not covered by Philhealth, the most that the hospital was able to deduct was P2500 ($50) for a bill amounting to P150,000 ($3200). This amount did not cover her take home medication which amounted to P20,000 ($425). So if you're a regular employee like I am, imagine how or where you will get the money to cover for all of these expenses. This is not a one time, big time expense or trip to the hospital. This went on for several months.
Oh, and by the way, the bill that our president GMA is bragging about that lowered the cost of meds does not cover those for cancer patients.
1 person likes this
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
8 Dec 09
You're right that the cheaper medicines bill is a no good law passed by the government to further insult poor Pinoys like us. If you look at the list, majority of the medicines listed at half price are antibiotics. As if antibiotics can solve all the illnesses of the world.
Yes we are fortunate to have the money to spend for her chemo. But her chemo did not work and her doctor informed us that the reason behind her tumors not responding to chemo was because we chose the cheapest medication that she offered. That was what we could afford and I remember last year I was so upset that I did write about it in a discussion or two here in mylot. People should not die because they are poor. And Philhealth does not help too. You get a monthly deduction so that in case you get hospitalized, you can file for a refund or have it deducted right away from your hospital bill. But as I processed my mothers' hospital bill for more than a year, I was dismally dismayed at how little help Philhealth really gives its members. If the next government really wants reforms, they would have to change almost everything in our current system so that health care can be affordable even to poor Filipinos, irregardless of their illness.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
8 Dec 09
You can only use Philhealth and SSS maternity benefits up to four pregnancies and these include those that you may have lost due to miscarriage. I don't know why these two health care insurances seem to lean more on the pregnancy or delivery, but they do not cover the pre-natal care which is also overlooked by so many poor mothers here in our country because they cannot afford it. Or the follow ups and vaccinations. Yet, our population is still growing(correct term is ballooning). There is so much that needs to be changed, and what we are discussing here is only the tip of the iceberg.
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
8 Dec 09
and you know what, i heard about my sister-in-law's story about philhealth? the only time that a member gets more benefited with philhealth is when she is pregnant and had delivered her baby in a hospital. sometimes, i can hear them talking about getting pregnant again, as she can get money. i don't know exactly what's the reason about it or she may have get the money from their company's insurance program. but, what i am telling here is, it's hospitalization for delivery and not illness. philhealth will only help us paying for the hospital bills, but if gets sick not not going to be confined, philhealth is useless. i am also for changes. let's just hope and cross our fingers, that the next president will go for it. not only for the affordable health care to be available for the poor, but for everybody, for filipino.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
7 Dec 09
Hi Neil, brave for rasing this. I was shocked by what happened with you as you weren't entitled to any early basic treatment which would have resolved your problem in a timely fashion and thus suffered long with it. Simply because you didn't have the funds to pay the doctor to look at it and provide immediate aid it got much worse and may well have become serious if you hadn't raised the money for the anti-biotics.
Locally we have an excellent clinic which sees all. It is primarily staffed by newly qualified doctors to deal with general things as in most cases Greek doctors then take to one speciality so you need to see a certain doctor for a certain problem, but this initial point of care is there. If they can't treat it themselves they write a note to the hospital over one hours drive away so the emergency section there will see you free. Any follow up from that needs paying for. The medicines here are expensive but it is possible to ask if there is an equivalent cheaper one they can write a prescription for. It is also common here that if one does not have the right kind of health insurance to cover the prescription the doctor will suggest you use someone elses health insurance book and this goes on all the time so at least the medicines are provided. There is plenty to fault in our system further down the line, bribes for surgery and total lack of nursing care in the hospitals, but the basic front line service you needed is there and very capable.
1 person likes this
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
8 Dec 09
although we have local health clinics, as in the barangay levels, provided by the local government, they seem not to be good in cases like mine. maybe, they can provide for in cases like simple fever and flu. but they are only good in giving prescriptions, and maybe with the donated medicines for cases like mentioned. but going beyond that is not free. and most people will not go to these clinics if they are sick, other than having fever or flu. sometimes, and even most of the time, if one person has fever, they will just take over-the-counter medicines like paracetamol, etc.
and although, the government, the legislators passed the so called, cheaper medicines act, sometimes, even if the low-cost medicines, do not have the strength of those in the expensive medicines. they call them, branded meds with the same generic names. and sometimes, as i have experienced with my last visit to the doctor, he said that i should take this one, and stop taking that kind. because, he said, this one, which is more expensive than the ones i took before is better than the cheaper one.
now, if one will go to the local clinic, they may get less service and less meds.
with the private doctors, where we should pay (starting with the consultation fee), medications are going to be expensive.
just like i said, i am much luckier than the poor ones. what if mine happens to them? so sad...
@ybong007 (6643)
• Philippines
7 Dec 09
Very valid points there neil but we have to accept the fact that we are a third world country. And no matter how we want to have a comprehensive healthcare, our budget will not allow it. That's basically how our politicians will address that question when the ampatuans have mansions amidst the dilapidated houses of thier constituents 
. It would surely be a good try to amend Philhealths policy but i dont think we would still be here on this world to witness the approval of such amendment if ever. I guess i'm lucky because our company has HMO who can provide for our immediate health needs in cases when we need one. But i think it's worth trying to raise your concern. Politicians usually give a healtcard during elections, how did they get the budget for it? so maybe there's budget after all, they are just keeping it for the elections. Cheers!
. It would surely be a good try to amend Philhealths policy but i dont think we would still be here on this world to witness the approval of such amendment if ever. I guess i'm lucky because our company has HMO who can provide for our immediate health needs in cases when we need one. But i think it's worth trying to raise your concern. Politicians usually give a healtcard during elections, how did they get the budget for it? so maybe there's budget after all, they are just keeping it for the elections. Cheers!1 person likes this
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
8 Dec 09
thank you for considering and accepting my point, ybong. well, the reason i got confused with the healthcare, and even in some parts of our basic needs, is how come other LGU's like Makati can offer free hospitalization and medication and education to their poor people? how come, that the national government cannot afford to give it free when Makati is just a small area of administration? how can politicians give such benefits only in time of elections? it just disappoint us, when this candidate promise to give low cost housing, free healthcare, low cost electricity, and loses in the election. and if he wins, all his promises will be gone.
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
8 Dec 09
and just what binay said, "if they can do it in makati, we can do it the country" and he already have the solution for it. hope so. that even if binay can't sit in the highest post, anybody who will, could bring the solution for the nation. i think it's not how the city is earning but because they really think of the poor. corruption, i guess is the worst nightmare in our administration that should be attended to properly.
@lizbenetua (637)
• Philippines
7 Dec 09
If you are a poor person here in the Philippines, you will die if you get sick and especially if you don't have the money. I had a child patient who had meningitis die here because the parents no longer have money for his antibiotics. I saw the child deteriorate from bad to worse to the point that he can no longer control his pee and is unconscious. Hospitals here would ask you for a downpayment once you are admitted. And worse if you don't know any doctor, because the rates are higher (they would call that a house case rate, not a private case if you know a doctor in that hospital you are about to be admitted)
Laws must be created in order the poor are protected, especially if they are admitted in a hospital. You cannot blame them if they migrate to Manila in search of a better life. But as soon as they get here, some of them are being exploited for selfish reasons.
1 person likes this
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
10 Dec 09
this is really sad for us, the poorest of the poor pinoys. if we don't have much money, how can we avail of the hospitalization we needed. i know that we have a lot of laws that provide security for the people, but the problem is implementation. maybe the law-makers should really put more teeth to those laws. by the way, the link you gave doesn't work.
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
8 Dec 09
i know there are some laws which protects the people, in terms of health benefits. i am sure you are familiar with the new "cheaper medicines act", but i guess this one doesn't really give full benefits for the people and especially the poor. i also heard about something that hospitals cannot deny anyone who needs or wants to be confined if he has no money for downpayment. would you mean, this is just a hear-say for me? isn't this effective all over the country?
@lizbenetua (637)
• Philippines
9 Dec 09
Yes, I am aware of the cheap medicines act, the R.A 9502 , also known as the Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008. My question about this act is this: What type of medicine will the indigent patient receive? Will they be handed out generic medicines? What if the patient is really very poor and on hand to mouth existence? They will die for sure because they will not have the money. They can hardly feed themselves.Is there any law that will say that the poorest of the poor can still have access to quality medications, not generic ones?
Yes, there is also the RA 8344 which "prohibits the demand of deposits or advance payments for the confinement or treatment of patients in hospitals and medical clinics in certain cases " stated in the DOH website. But this is not implemented in all hospitals. But I am questioning the portion on "Certain cases". It only helps those in Emergency Cases. In the case of the poor, it should be " for all cases" not in "certain cases". There should be a separate portion for the extremely poort.Unfortunately, not all hospitals follow this no downpayment thing. I will post the link of http://www.ellentordisillas.com/?p=1564 which shows that some hospitals still require a downpayment.
@rsa101 (40966)
• Philippines
9 Dec 09
Very good observations in there. I am quite lucky that I have a medical insurance that is shouldered by my employer so I can still avail of it when simple medical problems do occur. Although they still do not cover everything but they are much better than Philhealth in delivering its service. Philhealth must do something about it to improve their servicing to the public. We employees are paying them every month but we receive very limited services from them whenever we need of them.
@rsa101 (40966)
• Philippines
10 Dec 09
Yeah many employers right now consider offering this as part of the benefits packages because they know that Philhealth is not enough to really cover the health needs of their employees. But this however is an optional benefit for employers some employers are not able to provide because of the high cost it will involve them if they avail of such.
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
11 Dec 09
and if only i can afford, why not getting additional health card. it just that my earnings or my salary do not dictate to.
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
10 Dec 09
i remember with my former second job, we had an additional health insurance which half of the premium was shouldered by the company. and yes, it covers more than philhealth do. and even consultation is free. bad thing, i lost the job.
@checapricorn (16060)
• United States
8 Dec 09
I agree with you, It's really very hard in our Country especially for the people who can't afford an insurance. In the place where I grew up, we rely a lot to quack doctor before and herbal medicines....
Anyway, it is very important to take care of our health. We have public hospitals but still we you don't have money, you will not be entertained, so painful!
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
9 Dec 09
yes, that's true. our public hospitals are so miserable and painful.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
7 Dec 09
I think wherever u are health care, doctors, meds u have to take, hospital stays etc. are all a rip off.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
8 Dec 09
i REALLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THEM , NEIL. Have a dear friend that lives in canada but don't think we have ever discussed health care much. i know nothing about cuba's health care.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
7 Dec 09
I am really sad for our country. So much money in the government is being pocketed by these corrupt officials when those money should have been used rather to improve the health care system of our country. There are some public hospitals but they are all miserable. Oftentimes there is only one doctor and consultation is free but no free medicine. The doctor will write prescription and the poor patient will have to buy it so if there is no money, the patient will still not get the necessary medication and healing.There are no updated facilities either and there are no available specialist at all. You will be referred to a bigger hospital where there are specialists and of course that hospital is not for free. What you can find in the public hospitals are apprentices who will study the condition of the patients for the sake of their studies. We have the PGH, the biggest hospital where poor people go but you will just feel miserable because there are long queues that will require you to wake up very early in the morning to be able to avail of the free medical services. And only the services are free. Medicine will have to be purchased and if you have no money to purchase you will end up dying just the same.
Yes the employees do have Philhealth, but this is only for those who are confined for at least a day but for outpatient they can't avail of Philhealth at all. That is is too unfair and I hope the government amends its rules on Philhealth. Why not allow it to be used by members even if they will only consult a doctor and will be treated as outpatient. I think even for the purchase of medicine and laboratory tests, Philhealth should be applied. Like me, I've never been confined for any sickness (thank God!) but have been paying my Philhealth for 28 years already. Where will my contributions go now. At least I should be given the chance to use it for the purchase of medicine even for simple colds or other pains or even for my daily vitamins.
I think if there is one thing this country needs, that is free medical assistance and hospitalization to all the citizens of this country who can't afford to pay its high cost. We don't need just free doctor as what we have now. We need a totally free medical care. This means free doctor, free medicine, free laboratory tests and everything that will bring back the wellness of patients whether they are outpatient or under confinement.
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
8 Dec 09
i also experienced this with the public hospitals here in cebu. yes, there maybe free consulations but medicines should be bought from outside the hospital. and if they have pharmacy, their medicines are also have to be bought. we really have the most miserable public hospitals, i guess.
one responder here also mentioned about amending the philhealth rules. maybe, the government will look at it, in the future, but i doubt it will be soon as next year's president is declared. it is really too unfair for us, members of philhealth to keep paying for our dues, but then, we cannot use it. even with simple paracetamol or vitamin c, could we tell the pharmacist to just collect my payment from philhealth or something? No...
and that is one thing, i don't want to get sick and get hospitalized, it's too expensive and nothing could help us to pay for the bills. and i also thank the almighty, that at my age, i had never been confined myself because i am sick. i hate being in the hospital. i hate to think where will i get the money to pay for my hospitalization.
and i agree with you, what we need is free medical assistance for all the filipino citizens. we need a totally free health and medical program. and that includes class a public hospital for everyone.
@LaadieGerald (138)
• Philippines
10 Dec 09
you are lucky to be a member of the philhealth but you should have your own health card that covers more benefits especially in hospitalization. however i advice you to study intensively health cards because in my experience after having fully paid my card, some hospitals no more accept this card unless you go to their own clinic.
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
11 Dec 09
as an employee, as a state worker, yes, maybe, i am lucky. but if philhealth could give us more benefits, it could be better. not only for the employees-members, but also for the poor and unemployed. getting additional health care is better than having philhealth alone. but with my earnings, i don't think i could have another, as of this moment. thanks for responding, madam...
