Acting Gov. Isidro Zayco yesterday said a locally-initiated provincewide insurance program to provide better health care for Negrenses is being considered for implementation in Negros Occidental.

Negros Occidental officials joined a luncheon meeting hosted by Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco in Hacienda Balbina, Pontevedra, Saturday where former Gov. Faustino Dy Jr. briefed them on the Isabela Provincial Health Care Mutual Assistance Fund.

Zayco said no politics was discussed during the meeting.

Talk that a meeting was to be held to discuss who should be fielded as the next governor of Negros Occidental is entirely not true, Zayco said.

We discussed how to improve the health care needs of the people, and to make a go of the proposed insurance program where at least 200,000 people should initially be covered, Zayco said.

There was a unanimous agreement at the meeting Saturday to replicate the health insurance program of Isabela in Negros Occidental with some modifications to suit the local situation.

The existing Inter-Local Health Zones of the province will be called on to participate in the planning process, and the six districts of Negros Occidental and the lone District of Bacolod represented by Mayor Evelio Leonardia pledged their number of initial enrollees in order to reach the 200,000 members targeted.

With 200,000 members, the insurance fund would have a P360 million initial fund.

The congressmen present -- Reps. Julio Ledesma (1 st District), Alfredo Marañon III (2 nd District), Jeffrey Ferrer (4 th District) and Genaro Alvarez (6 th District) -- also pledged to sponsor members from their districts.

Dy said the Isabela Provincial Health Care Mutual Assistance Fund is run by a private, independent corporation and membership is open to government employees and permanent residents of the province.

The Isabela mutual fund provides 100 percent coverage for all kinds of illnesses, with premium of only P5 per day per member or a total of P150 a month or P1,800 a year, Dy said.

Dependents of members 18 years old and below, are covered, he said.

In Isabela the provincial government provided seed fund of P1 million, he said.

The Isabela health program has tie-ups with local hospitals in the province as well as St. Luke's Hospital in Manila , Dy said.

In its 1.5 year of operation, it has covered 131,000 beneficiaries, among which 95,000 are indigents, he added.

Meetings are set tomorrow and Friday to plan out an insurance program suited to Negros Occidental, Zayco said.

Former Gov. Emmanuel Piñol of North Cotabato has been invited to share his experience on a similar health insurance program implemented in his area, Zayco said.

Present at the meeting in Balbina Saturday aside from Zayco and Cojuangco, were congressmen, board members, mayors, vice mayors and members of town and city Sanggunian health committees.*CPG

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