Bacolod City, Negros Occidental – The city government of Bacolod has announced its plan to establish a Special Health Fund (SHF) as a key component in integrating its city-wide health system (CWHS), aligning with the mandates of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act of 2019, Republic Act 11223.

According to Philippines News Agency, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with representatives from the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) in Western Visayas (Region 6) to facilitate the CWHS’s development. The aim is to enhance the delivery of both population- and individual-based health services.

Dr. Mary Pauline Gestosani, the chief of DOH-6 Regulations, Licensing, and Enforcement Division, and Edgar Yocariza, head of PhilHealth-Bacolod, represented their respective organizations at the signing. The SHF, mandated by the UHC law, is intended to consolidate funding pools at the local government level. It will function as a resource for the local integrated health system, covering expenses related to personnel, commodities, capital, facilities, and other needs.

Local governments, under the UHC Act and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, are given a six-year transition period to establish a CWHS. The initial three years focus on management and technical integration, followed by financial integration in the subsequent three years. The MOU stipulates that DOH-6 will support the city government in integrating its health system into a CWHS, offering both financial and non-financial assistance based on assessments and situational analyses. This includes matching grants to strengthen health systems and service delivery.

Additionally, PhilHealth is committed to providing sufficient financing to enable the city government to extend individual-based interventions to its population. This will include financial incentives to support health reforms such as primary care services and the development of health care provider networks.

Bacolod City, Negros Occidental – The city government of Bacolod has announced its plan to establish a Special Health Fund (SHF) as a key component in integrating its city-wide health system (CWHS), aligning with the mandates of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act of 2019, Republic Act 11223.

According to Philippines News Agency, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with representatives from the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) in Western Visayas (Region 6) to facilitate the CWHS’s development. The aim is to enhance the delivery of both population- and individual-based health services.

Dr. Mary Pauline Gestosani, the chief of DOH-6 Regulations, Licensing, and Enforcement Division, and Edgar Yocariza, head of PhilHealth-Bacolod, represented their respective organizations at the signing. The SHF, mandated by the UHC law, is intended to consolidate funding pools at the local government level. It will function as a resource for the local integrated health system, covering expenses related to personnel, commodities, capital, facilities, and other needs.

Local governments, under the UHC Act and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, are given a six-year transition period to establish a CWHS. The initial three years focus on management and technical integration, followed by financial integration in the subsequent three years. The MOU stipulates that DOH-6 will support the city government in integrating its health system into a CWHS, offering both financial and non-financial assistance based on assessments and situational analyses. This includes matching grants to strengthen health systems and service delivery.

Additionally, PhilHealth is committed to providing sufficient financing to enable the city government to extend individual-based interventions to its population. This will include financial incentives to support health reforms such as primary care services and the development of health care provider networks.