The cost of medical treatment is just one of the many concerns that we may have if we or a family member has been diagnosed with a serious illness.
In some cases, even if we have savings and health insurance, it may not be enough to cover all the medical expenses. We can ask financial support from family and friends, but of course they can only share limited amount of money.
So where else can we get assistance from?
Good thing there’s the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) that provides medical assistance to people in need.
In this article, a friend of mine, who is a cancer patient and who has been receiving medical assistance from PCSO, will share with us how it works based on her experience…
…I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer stage 2A last April 2013 and my left breast was mastectomized on the same date. For treatment, I underwent 6 months of chemo cycles comprising of 12 sessions.
I am a health card dependent from my two children. However, these two health cards are not sufficient to cover all my medical expenses. My very supportive Oncologist told me about the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) assistance for sufferers like me.
Requirements for PCSO Medical Assistance
I went to PCSO Main Office at the Lung Center Hospital and jotted the following requirements for medical assistance:
- Letter addressed to the Head/General Manager of PCSO (in Tagalog)
- Medical Abstract that includes the price quotation of the medicine, brand name, and quantity.
- Once the medicine had been used for one year, you have to attach a Progress Report.
- Biopsy Result (Photocopy) with license number of the Radiologist and name of Hospital
- Photocopy of one valid ID with picture.
My Treatment at Delos Santos Hospital
Early last year (2016), PCSO launched its satellite office at Delos Santos Hospital. And fortunately, I received treatments in this hospital which is an affiliate. Seeking medical assistance at PCSO Delos Santos Hospital is less daunting, unlike before where you have to wake up early in the morning, hustle your way through the thick crowd, and a long waiting time.
Steps to Avail of PCSO Medical Assistance
- All requirements should be photocopied and submitted to the social worker at PCSO Delos Santos. The social worker will check if all requirement is in order. The Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP) Application Form should be filled out completely.
- If everything is in accordance, you will have to wait one to two weeks for a notification through text.
- Once notified, you have to pick up the sealed envelope containing all the requirements and proceed to the PCSO Main Office at the Lung Center.
- You will be handed the guarantee letter (transmittal form) addressed to Globo, affiliated Drug Company of PCSO. The guarantee letter contains the amount of the medicine you can avail. The amount varies. You can re-apply for medical assistance after one to two months.
How much does PCSO give for Medical Assistance?
PCSO does not give monetary assistance but Transmittal or Guarantee Letter addressed to their affiliated drug companies. This is to ensure that medication will be extended to those who are really in need of medical assistance.
There are no fixed rules on the way PCSO allots medical assistance to individuals. In my case, I usually receive Php 15,000 to Php 16,000, which is good for 2 months of my medication.
I know someone who was previously receiving Php 16,000 from PCSO, and now it’s just Php 8,000.
Based on my observation, the amount that is given depends on the assessment of the social worker. There are malefactors that sells the medicine once they get hold of it.
PCSO does not only cater to medicine but includes hospital bills, laboratory tests, and consultations.
For those in exclusive hospitals like St. Lukes, Makati Medical, Asian Hospital, and Medical City, only a small amount of their requirement is approved.
My Journey as a Cancer Patient
It has been a challenging experience for me and I hope this simple article can reach and help those people who are not financially capable of paying for expensive medicines, consultation, and hospital bills. There are government institutions like PCSO who cares about the welfare of needy people like us.
In my journey, I know God is looking after me. Up to now I am still receiving the same amount of medical assistance from PCSO and I still receive the Guarantee Letter on time.
What are the additional requirements if the application for medical assistance will be submitted by an authorized representative?