The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is set to open a new program that will provide its members with living benefit health insurance before the start of the second quarter of this year.

During the state pension fund’s Stakeholders’ Dialogue held at Oscar’s at the Eugenio Lopez Center in Antipolo, Rizal on Thursday, GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso said they are in the “final touches” of fixing the program’s guidelines before it is presented.

“Sa amin pong pakikipag-ugnayan sa mga stakeholders, nagsisimula silang magkaroon ng pagkakautang dahil nagkaroon ng sakit ang kanilang miyembro sa pamilya kaya nakipag-ugnayan kami sa iba’t ibang medical insurance (providers). At kung ikaw ay magkaroon ng critical illness, kayo po ay mabibigyan ng lump sum na PHP250,000 (In our consultation with stakeholders, they start to incur debts when a family member gets sick. That’s why we coordinated with various medical insurance providers. And when you get a critical illness, you are entitled to a lump sum of PHP250,000),” Veloso said, noting that the program would not need any additional premium from GSIS members.

These critical illnesses include heart attack, cancer, stroke, liver failure, kidney failure, and pulmonary disease.

“Mahal na po ang bilihin ngayon. Baka mas makatulong tayo at mabigyan pa natin ng mas malaking benepisyo ang ating mga miyembro (Commodities are expensive these days. Maybe we could help and provide our members with bigger benefits),” he said.

Veloso is set to present the program to the GSIS Board of Trustees next month and it will be implemented immediately once approved.

He assured that GSIS is dedicated to working on improving the lives of its members. (PNA)