Amendment to Memorandum Circular No. 02 Series of 2017

August 14, 2017

DSWD MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 014-17

 

1. Memorandum Circular No. 02 series of 2017 entitled Guidelines on the Availment of Libreng Gamot Para sa Masa (Lingap sa Masa) focuses on providing medicines only. The pilot implementation of the program revealed that due to the inherent limitations of the form of assistance initially authorized under the program as well as other factors that tend to hamper the program's efficient implementation, the need to amend the program's existing guidelines was identified in order to reflect the following:

• Inclusion of prosthetics, assistive devices, laboratory procedures, and other medical supplies;

• Expansion of target beneficiaries by including the immediate family members of the government contract of service workers or government workers; and

• Expansion of the partnership of this program to include other district/provincial/regional government hospitals.

There is also a need to amend the name and guidelines of the program in order to accurately reflect the foregoing amendments. The program is therefore hereby renamed Lingap at Gabay Para sa May Sakit (LinGaP sa MaSa) Program and its guidelines as: Guidelines on the Availment of Lingap at Gabay Para sa May Sakit (LinGaP sa MaSa) Program. aScITE

2. Section 2 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2. OBJECTIVES

1. To carry out the President's directive to provide free medicines, prosthetics, assistive devices, laboratory procedures, and other medical supplies to indigent Filipinos needing treatment for various illnesses or injuries;

2. To provide guidelines for the disbursement of the PhP1 Billion medical assistance fund or LinGaP sa MaSa; and

3. To operationalize the availment of free medicines, prosthetics, assistive devices, laboratory procedures, and other medical supplies under LinGaP sa Masa.

3. Section 3 is hereby amended to read as follows:

3. DESCRIPTION OF LINGAP SA MASA PROGRAM:

LinGaP sa MaSa is envisioned as the program that will implement the President's directive to provide free medicines, prosthetics, assistive devices, laboratory procedures, and other medical supplies to indigents, government employees (GE), contract of service workers in the government (COS), immediate family members of GE and COS, wounded soldiers and beneficiaries of soldiers who were killed or wounded in action. The amount of PhP1 Billion has been committed to the program to be sourced from the Socio-Civic Projects Fund of the Office of the President.

The President tasked the DSWD to be the implementing agency of LinGaP sa MaSa.

LinGaP sa MaSa will be implemented by establishing a DSWD Satellite Office in strategic locations and establishing DSWD desks in partner hospitals (district/provincial/regional government hospitals) within the jurisdiction of the identified regions, where the patients needing prescribed medicines, prosthetics, assistive devices, laboratory procedures, and other medical supplies will be assessed and provided assistance through the issuance of a guarantee letter.

LinGaP sa MaSa shall be a program distinct and separate from the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).

4. Section 5.4 is hereby amended to read as follows:

SECTION 5. Target Beneficiaries. —

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4. Government employees and contract of service workers in the government, including their immediate family members;

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5. Section 6.A. and 6.B.2 are hereby amended to read as follows:

SECTION 6. Rules and Requirements for Availment. —

A. Documentary Requirements

Patients or their representatives seeking availment of free medicines, prosthetics, assistive devices, laboratory procedures, and other medical supplies shall present to the DSWD assigned social worker in the DSWD Satellite Offices or DSWD Desks, original or certified true copy of the following documents:

1. Any valid ID of the patient;

2. If patient has a representative, any valid ID of the representative and a written authorization signed by the patient in favor of the representative. However, the immediate family of the patient up to the second degree of consanguinity is not required to present an authorization letter;

3. Doctor's prescription for medicines, prosthetics, assistive devices, laboratory procedures, and/or other medical supplies issued within the last three (3) months, indicating the date and the name of the patient, duly signed by the attending physician, with the complete name, license number and contact details of the physician; HEITAD

4. Proof of Indigency, such as but not limited to Barangay Certificate of Indigency or Certification or indigency card issued by the medical social worker from the hospital or any DSWD Social Worker. For non-indigent patients, a Barangay Certification stating the need of assistance will be required.

5. For government employees, contract of service workers in the government, immediate family members of GE and COS and beneficiaries of police and soldiers who were killed or wounded in the line of duty, a Barangay Certification stating the need for assistance or a Certification issued by the medical social worker of the hospital or any DSWD social worker that the said GE, COS is in need.

Certified true copies must be signed by either the DSWD Social Worker assigned to the hospital or the Head (or his/her authorized representative) of the office that issued the document.

B. OPERATIONAL RULES

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2. The assistance can only be availed once in three (3) months, unless supported by a justification written by the program social worker based on need, urgency, and other factors relevant to the patient's medical condition.

However, the (3) months rule will not apply for patients who are required to take medication and/or laboratory procedure regularly whether on a daily, weekly, biweekly or monthly basis, including the in-patients, in which the program social worker shall facilitate and prioritize the immediate availment of the services under the program.

Those who have received assistance for the same purpose under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) shall not be eligible under this Program, and vice-versa; however, client may still avail Medical Assistance from AICS for other medical needs subject to the guidelines of the said program.

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6. Section 7.B. is hereby amended to read as follows:

SECTION 7.B. Rules and Requirements for Availment. —

1. The patient or his/her representative shall present the doctor's prescription of medicine, prosthetics, assistive devices, laboratory procedures, and/or other medical supplies to the pharmacy, central supply, and laboratory of the hospital respectively or to the partner drugstores, partner medical supplies stores, and partner diagnostic clinics. The hospital pharmacy, central supply, and laboratory or partner drugstore, medical supplies store, and clinics shall then issue a quotation for the needed medicines, prosthetics, assistive devices, laboratory procedures, and/or other medical supplies.

2. The patient or his/her representative shall submit the quotation to the DSWD Social Worker together with other documentary requirements. The DSWD Social Worker shall assess the case. If found eligible, the DSWD Social Worker shall issue a DSWD LinGaP sa MaSa Guarantee Letter (GL), which shall specify the amount approved. All assistance shall be in the form of a GL.

3. The patient or his/her representative shall present the GL to the pharmacy of the hospital or partner drugstore for medicines, to the central supply of the hospital or partner medical supplies store for prosthetics, assistive devices, and other medical supplies, and to the laboratory of the hospital or partner diagnostic clinics for laboratory procedures. The hospital pharmacy or partner drugstore, hospital central supply or partner medical supplies store, and hospital laboratory or partner diagnostic clinics shall then issue/perform the needed medicine/s, prosthetics, assistive devices, laboratory procedures, and other medical supplies, receive the GL, and stamp the GL "ISSUED."

4. On the 15th and last day of every month, or on the last day of every month, the hospital pharmacy, central supply, and laboratory, and partner drugstores, partner medical supplies stores, and partner diagnostic clinics shall submit a Statement of Account, attaching thereto originals of all GLs and other supporting documents, to the Program Focal Person at the concerned Field Office, who shall then facilitate the processing of the same for payment.

7. Section 8 on Partner Hospitals, Pharmacies and Drug Stores is hereby amended to read as follows:

SECTION 8. Institutional Arrangements. —

Partner Hospitals, Pharmacies and Drugstores, Medical Supplies Stores, and Diagnostic Clinics

The DSWD Field Offices may forge Memoranda of Agreement with government hospitals, pharmacies and drugstores, medical supplies stores, and diagnostic clinics duly accredited by the Department of Health (DOH) for the effective and timely implementation of this Program. ATICcS

8. Section 10 is hereby amended to read as follows:

SECTION 10. Initial Implementation. —

The program shall be implemented in Regions NCR, III, VI, VII, and XI. Said Regions shall establish a DSWD Satellite Office/s in a strategic location including hospitals to cater clients from district/provincial/regional government hospitals within their area of jurisdiction. The said regions may strengthen the Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Teams as an augmentation for the LinGaP sa MaSa Program.

This circular takes effect immediately. Issued this 14th day of August 2017.

 

(SGD.) JUDY M. TAGUIWALOSecretary