This city’s flagship health program, the Bacolod City Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP), boosts healthcare delivery for indigent residents through partnerships with major hospitals here.

As of Tuesday, more than 900 patients have already availed of free or subsidized admission since May 1.

Private hospital partners include the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center, South Bacolod General Hospital and Medical Center, Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital, and Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital (Riverside Medical Center Inc.).

The city government has a similar partnership with the Department of Health-retained Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.

BacCHP officer Mae Cuaycong, in an interview, said that two more private hospitals will be partnering with the city government soon.

“Upon admission, the patient has to declare that he or she is a BacCHP patient so that the hospital will not ask for a downpayment anymore,” she added.

Liaisons deployed by the city government man the help desks for indigent patients seeking hospital admissions under the BacCHP.

About 80,000 families enrolled in the program, of which 28,000 have already received their family health membership cards.

Under the BacCHP Ordinance, the city government guarantees the amount of PHP15,000 for each family health card holder and their dependents’ hospital bills.

The BacCHP implementation for 2023 has a budget share of PHP50 million.

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said he would ask the City Council to amend the ordinance to allow “more flexibility” for the health program to address concerns related to hospital payments.

At present, the city government cannot assist beyond PHP15,000. (PNA)