BROADER
HEALTHCARE
OWWA-Medicare Fund transfer
to widen medical and health service delivery to OFWs and their families
AN EXTENSIVE medical and healthcare delivery service,
managed with unparalleled expertise, and accessible to more overseas Filipino
workers and their families.
This is the ultimate objective of the transfer of the
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration-Medicare Program for Overseas Filipino
Workers and their Families (OWWA-Medicare) to the Philippine Health Insurance
Company (PhilHealth).
OWWA Administrator Virgilio Angelo said the transfer
of the Medicare Fund of OFWs to PhilHealth is a move in the right direction.
“The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security
System (SSS) have their respective Medicare Programs under PhilHealth,”
he noted.
This, Angelo explained, is in consonance to the law mandating
PhilHealth as the prime agency tasked to implement the national health
insurance program of all Filipinos.
“Why would OWWA be different?” he asked, noting the criticism
of certain quarters calling the transfer illegal.
He also stressed that there is no absolute transfer of
the OFW Medicare Fund to PhilHealth, saying that there will be funds to
be retained that will be used to expand the medical benefits of OFWs in
addition to the existing health and medical care package of PhilHealth.
“In due time, OFWs, including their families, will realize
the benefits they will get from PhilHealth, among which is the exemption
from payment of the regular contribution,” the OWWA chief stressed.
According to Angelo, OFWs used to renew their OWWA-Medicare
membership annually. “However, under the present PhilHealth setup, certain
fees will be waived after which OFWs shall be able to continuously
contribute to PhilHealth within a certain period of time but with them
still enjoying the same medical coverages and privileges they used to avail
before the transfer,” he said.
The transfer of the medical and healthcare components
of OWWA’s service to OFWs will also allow the OWWA to focus on core programs
and services that include welfare assistance at job sites, insurance coverages,
repatriation/airport assistance, scholarship program, livelihood, and other
programs that will alleviate the condition of OFWs and their families.
Meanwhile, Angelo disclosed that his agency is considering
a tie-up with government financing institutions (GFIs) and other related
government agencies for the implementation of a more feasible lending and
collection program for OFWs and their families.
“Pending an exhaustive analysis and evaluation of the
viability of the various lending programs being afforded to OFW families,
OWWA would be ready to firm up negotiations with GFIs to co-manage and
implement the loan guarantee fund (LGF) program as mandated under Republic
Act 8042, otherwise known as the Migrant Workers Act of 1995,” Angelo said.
“We will then be ready to resume offering loan assistance to OFW families,”
he added.
Earlier, OWWA suspended its loan program for OFWs and
their families to allow it to evaluate and improve its loan facilities,
due largely to the high rate of loan payment delinquency.
Loan availments for OFWs and their families include family
assistance, livelihood development program, and re-entry loan for displaced
or retiring OFWs. Under the LGF program, the agency is mandated to set
aside a revolving fund of P100 million. |
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NEWS
ALL-OUT WAR! APEC reaffirms war
against terrorism on the high seas; sets up measures to secure supply chain
BROADER HEALTHCARE:
OWWA-Medicare Fund transfer to
widen medical and health service delivery to OFWs and their families
INTERNATIONAL NEWS ROUND-UP
UFS brings in 4 new ships to Philippine
registry
Manila hosts world’s leading manning
conference
PCG commissions state-of-the-art
SAR vessels
International seafarers’ group
opens doors in the
Philippines
RP, third in most number of ship
accidents in Asia
Contribute your ideas online!
Express your opinion!
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any discussion on seafarer's issues anytime or anywhere you are with
Usapang
Marino
(Seafarer's
Forum)
at URL: http://www.ufs.ph/phpBB2
Want to play
basketball while in Rotterdam?
Filipino Seafarers who want
to play basketball on Sundays in Rotterdam, please contact Doming Malaloan
at Tel. No.: 010-463635 or International Seamen's Centre, Heijplaat, Rotterdam,
Tel. No.: 4290702 |
THE
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Serving the ports of Newark,
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