Bontoc assists patients with chronic diseases

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Residents who are diagnosed with cancer, heart illnesses, and/or chronic kidney disease may now avail of the medical assistance provided by the municipal government.
The municipal council passed Resolution 64, s. 2019, authored by Councilor Jerome Tudlong who chairs the committee on health and sanitation, which provides the guidelines for the release of medical assistance. 
Mayor Franklin Odsey approved the resolution, recognizing the financial needs of patients diagnosed with critical illnesses. 
Odsey believes the municipal government could be of help in lessening the financial burden of patients and their families through the program.
Those who may avail of the program are patients with heart illness who need to undergo heart surgery; choric kidney disease patients who need to undergo surgery such as kidney transplant and those who need to undergo hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis sessions for the first time; and cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy/radiation and/or those who need to undergo surgery.
They must be registered voters and residents of Bontoc. 
The resolution states that the assistance will be given to clients once a year. For kidney patients, the maximum financial assistance is P3,000, and P10,000 for heart and cancer patients who have medical expenses of P50,000 and above. Those with medical expenses of less than P50,000 may receive P5,000 maximum assistance. 
To avail of the assistance, the beneficiary must present a medical certificate bearing the signature and license number of the attending physician; barangay certificate of residency; voter’s certificate from the Commission on Elections; photocopy of any valid/government-issued ID; social case study report from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) for the P5,000 to P10,000 medical assistance; and certificate of indigence from the MSWDO for the P3,000 medical assistance. 
The requirements must be submitted and valid within three months upon discharge from the hospital. If the patient has an unsettled bill, an itemized statement of account with complete name and signature of the billing clerk should be submitted. – Alpine L. Killa