Tubod, Lanao del Norte – To enable residents enrolled in the Provincial Health Indigency Program (PHIP) faster processing of their hospitalization claims, employees of the Project Management Office (PMO) is starting to distribute copies of PhilHealth’s Member Data Record (MDR) throughout this province.

More than 94 thousand indigent PhilHealth members of this fast-rising province are set to receive their MDR before the end of November, 2011.

“This is an initiative of Governor Khalid Dimaporo to make it easier for our indigent residents to gain access to quality healthcare services”, PMO Head Lyndon Calica said.

Lanao del Norte is the first LGU to implement MDR distribution for its sponsored residents.

Among the first towns to receive the MDRs are Linamon, Bacolod, Matungao, Kauswagan and Maigo. The remaining 17 municipalities are scheduled to be visited by the PMO team on October and November.

The MDR initiative is in support of PhilHealth’s appeal to help strengthen data verification at the hospital level by ascertaining the identity and eligibility of legal dependents availing the healthcare benefits of members.

PhilHealth Circular 07, series of 2007 (as amended), applies to claims with admission dates starting September 1 this year.

The MDR is a document that lists the primary information on a PhilHealth member. It also contains the names of the member’s qualified legal dependents and is used for reference purposes during benefits availment.

If a member is not able to present an updated MDR, secondary supporting documents such as birth certificate, marriage contract and other documents may be accepted to ensure benefit claim availment.

To claim the MDR, each PHIP member should present his PhilHealth card and undergo a brief orientation by the PMO team. Also accompanying the PMO team are staff from the Provincial Community Affairs Office (PCAO) and the local Provincial Volunteer Health Workers (PVHW).

“The MDRs are valid until December 2011. A member should renew his MDR every year to continue enjoying the benefits of the Provincial Health Indigency Program”, said PHIP Coordinator Felson Gazelle Francisco. VNL & LAR/PIO-LDN