September 9, 1998

DOH-DBM-PHILHEALTH JOINT CIRCULAR NO. 1998-0001

RULES IMPLEMENTING THE PROVISIONS OF ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 402, ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MEDICAL CHECK-UP PROGRAM FOR GOVERNMENT PERSONNEL

1.0 Purpose

This Circular is being issued to provide the rules and regulations to govern the implementation of an annual medical check-up program for government personnel pursuant to Administrative Order No. 402 dated June 2, 1998.

2.0 Coverage

The medical check-up program shall be established for all permanent and temporary personnel of national government agencies who have been in the service for at least one year as of the effectivity of A.O. No. 402. Excluded from the coverage, however, are officials and employees who are already recipients of a similar benefit or any supplementary medical allowance over and above the Medicare benefits. Government-owned or -controlled corporations which do not offer a free medical check-up or any supplementary medical allowance over and above the Medicare benefits may establish a similar program.

3.0 Benefit Package

The medical check-up shall initially consist of the following examinations:

3.1 For officials and employees below 40 years of age

a. Physical examination

b. Chest X-Ray

c. Complete Blood Count

d. Urinalysis

e. Stool examination

3.2 For officials and employees aged 40 years and above

a. Physical examination

b. Chest X-Ray

c. Complete Blood Count

d. Urinalysis HTaIAC

e. Stool exam

f. Electro Cardiogram

The benefits may be increased upon the availability of funds.

4.0 Funding

The National Government shall provide the funds to cover the cost of the annual medical check-up of officials and employees of national government agencies. Expenses for the medical check-up of personnel in government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs) shall be chargeable against the corporate funds of their respective GOCC.

However, officials and employees of agencies who receive medical allowance over and above the Medicare benefits or are already beneficiaries of a government-funded annual medical check-up program that is equal to or superior than the one prescribed under this program shall no longer be entitled to the fund that will be allocated for this purpose.

Funds intended for the medical check-up program shall be used only for the payment of the cost of the check-up actually rendered. Thus, this benefit cannot be monetized.

5.0 Administrative Procedures

5.1 The Department of Health (DOH) shall oversee the conduct of the medical check-up for all national government officials and employees nationwide. The DOH Central Office (CO), in the case of central office personnel, and the DOH Regional Health Offices (RHOs), in the case of personnel of regional/field offices, SUCs and other agencies located in the regions, shall be responsible for the assignment of officials/employees to the various hospitals within the same area/region for purposes of the medical check-up.

5.2 The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) shall release the funds corresponding to the cost of the check-up to the DOH CO and RHOs on a quarterly basis. The DOH CO or RHOs, as the case may be, shall then be responsible for sub-allotting the funds to the various government hospitals or paying the cost of services of private hospitals/clinics based on the number of personnel assigned to each hospital/clinic.

5.3 The agency or regional/field office concerned shall arrange the schedule of the medical check-up of its personnel with the hospital/clinic where they have been assigned.

5.4 The official/employee shall avail of the medical check-up on the designated schedule. Failure to do so would mean forfeiture of this benefit for the year in question.

5.5 The hospital/clinic shall send the results of the medical check-up to the official/employee concerned within two (2) weeks after examination. The official/employee has the option of giving a copy thereof to the agency head. However, if the examination results show that an official/employee has a communicable disease, the hospital concerned is obliged to furnish the agency head a copy of the examination results.

5.6 The hospitals/clinics shall submit monthly reports to the DOH-RHO on the names of officials and employees, by agency, who availed of the check-up and the types of examination performed on or before the fifth day of the month following the examination.

5.7 The DOH-RHO shall consolidate the reports of all participating hospitals within the region and submit the same to the DOH Central Office on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of the following month. AcIaST

5.8 The DOH Central Office shall submit to DBM a consolidated report on the utilization of the funds released for this purpose.

6.0 Effectivity

This Joint Circular shall take effect immediately.

(SGD.) FELIPE A. ESTRELLASecretary, Department of Health

(SGD.) BENJAMIN E. DIOKNOSecretary, Department of Budget and Management

(SGD.) ENRIQUE M. ZALAMEA JR.President, Philippine Health Insurance Commission