The Department of Health (DoH) is set to propose P3.5 billion out of its total proposed budget of P33.5 billion in 2011 as allocation for the coverage of some 4.7 million poor families under the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth).

Health Secretary Dr. Enrique T. Ona said that they have presented the proposed budget to the Congress last week.

“I am almost certain it will be approved,” Ona said, at the Center for Health Development (CHD) in Davao City.

At present, Philhealth shoulders at least 30 percent of hospital bills while patients spend 70 percent of the total amount.

Ona said the administration plans to reverse this to relieve the Filipinos of the burden of paying medical bills.

To avoid controversies and politics, Ona said he prefers the removal of pictures of politicians who sponsored the enrollment of the indigents under Philhealth.

“We have not talked about it yet, but if you will ask me, there should be no more pictures on it,” he said.

The Aquino administration is keen on enrolling the poorest Filipinos in the national health insurance system within three years.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has previously conducted a specialized survey that identified the country’s poorest families.

Ona said that these families are those living with $1 or $1.5 per day.

Some 30 percent of Filipinos die without seeing a medical practitioner, Ona noted.

The health chief has designated October 2 as Philhealth day that would gather the 4.7 million indigent families that were classified as ‘true indigents’ after the means test conducted by the DSWD.

But Ona said those who are capable of paying their premiums but are not yet enrolled in Philhealth will also be encouraged to enroll in the national health insurance system.

The annual premium of Philhealth is worth P1,200.00 or P100.00 per month and the enrollment of an indigent is usually shared by half by the national and local government.

The health chief said an enrollment of 100 percent of the whole population actually translates to about 85 percent of the population nationwide.