The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has teamed up with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to prioritize healthcare access for about 500,000 underprivileged students enrolled in state universities and colleges’ (SUCs) and their families.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU), signed by CHED Chairperson Prospero De Vera III and PhilHealth President Edwin Mercado on Thursday, aims to integrate PhilHealth services with CHED’s Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) and Tulong Dunong Program (TDP), both of which are implemented through the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST).

The collaboration aims to benefit TES and TDP grantees, most of whom belong to low-income households listed under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) ‘Listahanan’.

“We welcome this opportunity to work with PhilHealth in supporting the health needs of underserved Filipinos, which is a key priority under the Marcos administration,” De Vera said in a news release Friday.

De Vera emphasized the scale of public higher education, noting that SUCs account for half of the country’s higher education enrollment – over two million students across more than 200 institutions.

Mercado said the initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to expand PhilHealth services, particularly primary healthcare through the Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (Konsulta) program.

“This agreement with CHED and UP (University of the Philippines) Manila will accelerate the enrollment of students and their families into PhilHealth and ensure their access to essential health services,” he said.

The Konsulta Package offers outpatient benefits including consultations, health screenings, laboratory tests, and medicines. Under the partnership, SUC health facilities will be evaluated and accredited as Konsulta providers to streamline delivery of services.

UP Manila, a key technical partner in the agreement, will help SUCs meet PhilHealth accreditation standards.

Additionally, the collaboration aims to simplify claims processing and facilitate the efficient use of Konsulta funds through educational institutions and local government units. (PNA)