PCSO: 37,186 patients benefit from medical assistance in May

A total of 37,186 patients have benefited from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office's (PCSO) Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP) last month.

In a statement on Tuesday, PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan said that this translates to P727.5 million of expenses for the month of May, based on the data provided by the Charity Assistance Department (CAD).

“The P727.5 million is 21.07 percent increase in spending and 26.14 percent increase in the beneficiaries compared with the same period last year,” Balutan said.

The top three funding requests were for:

• hospital confinement - 13,376 beneficiaries at P290.8 million;
• medicines - 12,132 beneficiaries at P149.9 million; and
• chemotherapy - 4,305 beneficiaries at P179.2 million.

Balutan said close to P4 billion has been spent for the IMAP,benefiting 190,000 mostly indigent patients.

The PCSO chief advised patients to completely submit the following documentary requirements:

• personal letter to PCSO Chairman or General Manager,
• original/certified true copy of medical abstract signed by the doctor with license number,
• final hospital billing,
• endorsement from the hospital to accept PCSO guarantee letter, and
• photocopies of patient’s ID and immediate relative who will process the documents.

If a patient is discharged from the hospital but still has a remaining balance, a notarized promissory note is needed.

Additional documents will be required for laboratory procedures, requests for chemo drugs or medicines, implant/prosthesis, and hemodialysis, according to the PCSO.

Under PCSO's charter, 55 percent of its revenues should be allocated for prizes, 15 percent for operational expenses, and 30 percent for its "charity fund." — BM, GMA News