LOREN PROPOSES HEALTH INSURANCE FOR CHILDREN

Noting that more one-third of Filipino schoolchildren are underweight, Sen. Loren Legarda yesterday filed a bill proposing the creation of a Children's Health Insurance Program.

In Senate Bill No. 2326, Loren sought to amend Republic Act No. 7875, otherwise known as "The National Health Insurance Act of 1995" to include a child health assistance assistance program for children of poor families.

The program shall include a range of health care and support services including, but not limited to, physician services and any other medical, diagnostic, screening, preventive, restorative, remedial, therapeutic or rehabilitative services;

In her explanatory note to the bill, Loren said that the 1987 Constitution recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and mandates the government to promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being.

However, according to her, "Statistics show that 31 percent of the children in pre-school are underweight, while for those of school-age children, 32.9 percent. Of these figures, most come from families that are living below the poverty belt. Under-nutrition paves the way for diseases and weaknesses in health, and more often than not, results in lifetime disability."

She observed that 2hile the National Health Insurance Act provides a system wherein the poor can avail of health services through their membership in the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP), there are gaps that need to be filled, particularly involving children.

"This bill seeks to fill the gaps by increasing the scope and coverage of the NHIP to cover the health needs of the children. In the proposed measure, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will be put in place. Under this program, eligible children coming from low-income families shall be entitled to a full range of health services that include, but do not limit to, regular check-ups, immunizations, prescription drugs, lab tests, dental care," Loren explained.

"Moreover, this proposed legislation is in line with the Millennium Development Goals of reducing child mortality, among others. Recognizing the importance of children's welfare, especially on health, and likewise giving material support through such a measure, is a step towards fulfilling the goals of providing a world fit for children to live in," she emphasized.

In her bill, Loren proposed that "any child of a low-income family under six years of age or over but who are unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical, mental disability or condition and whose family is below poverty line, and determined as such by the pertinent government agency, can be a member of the National Health Insurance Program."

Under the present law, any person whose premiums have been regularly paid to the National Health Insurance Program is covered by the program. He may be a paying member, an indigent member, o a pensioner or a retiree.

The NHIP shall provide health insurance coverage and ensure affordable, acceptable, available and accessible health care services for all citizens of the Philippines, in accordance with the policies and specific provisions of RA 7875. Loren's bill additionally provides that the NHIP "shall initiate and expand the provision of child health assistance to include a child health insurance program for uninsured, low-income children in an effective and efficient manner that is coordinated with other sources of health benefits coverage for children." She further proposed that contributions for qualified children beneficiaries shall be subsidized partially by the local government unit where the member resides. The corporation shall provide counterpart financing equal to the local government's subsidy for children, while the share of the LGUs shall be progressively increased until such time that its share becomes equal to that of the national government.