DSWD Lingap sa Masa (Gabay Para sa May Sakit)

One of the social services provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is assistance and protection for sick people. People who are struggling with serious illnesses can receive financial aid as well as various types of assistance through this service.

Also Read: How to Get Cash Aid in DSWD Medical Assistance Program

In the following paragraphs, we will delve more into the program’s beneficiaries as well as the process for availing oneself of it.

What is the DSWD Lingap at Gabay Para sa May Sakit?

Healthcare in the Philippines has many obstacles, especially for people living in poverty or rural areas. About a third of the population is unemployed, has no health insurance, and cannot afford medical care.

The government has implemented initiatives like this one through government sectors and increased access to immunizations and contraception to reduce these inequalities, but there is still a long way to go until all Filipinos have universal healthcare coverage.

As part of his administration’s push to improve citizens’ health, President Rodrigo Duterte set aside Php1 billion (about $140 million) from the President’s Office’s Socio-Civic Projects Fund to provide free healthcare to the poor.

The administration and distribution of the President’s 1 Billion Pesos Medical Aid Fund, which will henceforth be known as Lingap at Gabay Para sa May Sakit and have been delegated to DSWD, which has been given the responsibility of managing and implementing the fund.

It’s meant to help those without health insurance in the Philippines gain access to care for free. This work is a piece of the larger mission of the organization to provide comprehensive health care to those on limited budgets. The help will be dispersed around the nation by the DSWD Field Offices, with strict adherence to the principles and standards outlined by the department.

Benefits of DSWD Lingap at Gabay Para sa May Sakit

The program offers various benefits for those in need of medical assistance.

• Patients struggling to make ends meet due to the high cost of treatment for serious illnesses might benefit from this initiative, which tries to lessen the financial burden they suffer. It offers monetary assistance for the costs associated with hospitalization, such as those for laboratory tests and surgical operations.
• Assists in defraying the expense of prostheses and drugs required for upkeep.
• In particular, those people with needs for pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, artificial limbs, medical and assistive technology, medical implants, diagnostic/laboratory/radiology procedures, dialysis, and chemotherapy.
• Patients who are receiving treatment outside of their province may receive financial assistance with the accompanying traveling expenditures.
• In addition to that, the program provides essential as well as therapeutic diets to people who are suffering from certain diseases including cancer and kidney disease.
• Those who are in desperate need of quick medical attention might receive assistance here in times of medical emergency.
• The program also offers salary loans for government employees facing medical emergencies.

Qualifications

Anyone in need of prescription medications who is a Filipino citizen and is currently a patient at or visiting one of the hospitals listed below.

However, the following shall have precedence:

• People who are poor, helpless, or otherwise disadvantaged.
• Those classified as low-income and working in the informal economy by the DSWD Listahan.
• People who are judged to be in dire straits by social workers;
• Workers in the government, whether permanent or temporary staff, and, finally,
• Those who stand to gain from soldiers’ and policemen’s deaths and injuries on the job.

Requirements

To avail of the program, patients or their representatives must provide the following documentation to the DSWD-assigned social worker at the designated hospitals:

1. The patient’s official identification;
2. If the patient has a representative, the representative’s government-issued photo identification and a written authorization signed by the patient;
3. Prescriptions for the last three (3) months for all medications, prostheses, medical and assistive devices, medical supplies, implants, laboratory/diagnostic/radiological procedure, chemotherapy, and dialysis, duly signed by the attending physician with the patient’s name, the date of the prescription/request, and the physician’s full name, license number, and contact information; and
4. Documentation of financial hardship, such as a Barangay Certificate of Indigency or Certification from the medical social service of a certain hospital; and

Either the social worker from DSWD who is assigned to the hospital or the head (or authorized representative) of the office that originally issued the document, can attest to the authenticity of a certified true copy.

Procedure

1. Medication, prostheses, medical and assistive devices, supplies, implants, laboratory/diagnostic/radiology procedures, chemotherapy, and dialysis must be presented by the patient or his/her representative to the hospital’s pharmacy, central supply, laboratory, or to the hospital’s partners in these areas.
2. Secondly, the patient or his/her representative is responsible for submitting the quote to the DSWD Social Worker together with the other required paperwork. The worker at DSWD is in charge of assessing each individual case. If the applicant is confirmed to be eligible for the program, a Social Worker from the department will issue a Guarantee Letter (GL) stating the approved loan amount. All assistance must be presented as a GL.
3. Third, the patient or his/her representative must take the GL to the hospital’s pharmacy, laboratory, diagnostics, or radiology and have our partner issue/perform the necessary medication(s), the prosthesis(es), medical and assistance devices(es), medical supplies(es), medical implants(es), chemotherapy(es), or dialysis(es), receive the GL, and stamp the GL with an “ISSUED” or “SERVED” notation.
4. On the 15th and last day of each month, or the last day of each month, the hospitals and clinics shall submit a Statement of Account to the Program Focal Person at the concerned Field Office, attaching the supporting documents especially the originals of all GLs, who shall then facilitate the processing of the same for payment.

Video: DSWD Lingap at Gabay Para sa May Sakit Now Approved

Here’s a video about the program approval in Nueva Ecija:

According to the video, the province of Nueva Ecija headed by Vice Governor Anthony Umali entered a Memorandum of Agreement with the DSWD for the program Lingap at Gabay Para sa May Sakit to help the needs and limitations of the medical assistance available to the people residing in the said province.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How Do I Apply for this Assistance?

You can complete the application form available through your local City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office or online at the DSWD website. Along with the completed form, submit supporting documents such as medical certification from the attending physician, medical abstract/medical history and treatment plan, payment receipts or official quotation for medical procedures/medicines, and proof of income/resources. More guidelines on the paragraphs above.

2. How Much Financial Assistance Can I Receive?

The maximum financial assistance per case is Php 75,000 per year. However, it will still depend on the evaluation and determination made by social workers during the assessment process.

3. Is There An Age Limit?

No, there is no age limit as long as you meet all other requirements and have supporting documents of your chronic illness and financial need.

Summary

This DSWD program is a countrywide effort to help low-income households pay for healthcare. In order to help those who qualify, they provide medical financing options.

This ensures that all members of society can afford basic medical care by giving much-needed funding for medical expenses.