By Jason de Asis

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, November 12, 2010-Senator Loren Legarda proposed Senate Bill 2120 to establish a Children’s Health Insurance Program where eligible children from low income families shall be entitled to a full range of health services that will include regular check-ups, immunization, laboratory tests and dental care adding that it intends to increase the scope and coverage of the National Health Insurance Policy to cover health needs of children.

Senator Legarda inquired if the existing law, Republic Act No. 7875 otherwise known as the National Health Insurance Act has been responsive in giving basic health care services where she pushes one of her priority bills the Universal Healthcare Coverage which will ensure the indigent Filipinos are granted basic health care services.

The National Government shall have to fully subsidize the annual requirement contributions for the coverage of indigent families in the National Health Insurance program under the Senate Bill No. 4 requirements where it also opens the grounds for sponsorships and donors to cover the poorest segment of the informal sector.

“Compulsory coverage should be granted to accredit Barangay Health Workers in the National Health Insurance Program,” she said. Senate Bill No. 1340 of Legarda mandates that all Barangay Health Workers (BHW) and their dependents should be enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program to avail themselves of an adequate package of health services including in-patient hospital care, emergency and transfer services and other supplementary health benefits.

Legarda concluded that a healthy nation is a productive nation where she hopes that side by side with the said bill, it will benefit the country’s economy adding that the said health bill will be certified as urgent. (Jason de Asis)