Steps in getting PCSO financial assistance for hemodialysis

Last week, I was able to successfully to get the needed financial assistance from PCSO for my dialysis worth Php 10,000, good for 3 dialysis sessions. It took a lot of patience and some sacrifice to get it.

I went to the PCSO office in Cebu (in the Reclamation Area) at around 5 in the morning. Had my requirements checked by the guard since you are only allowed to list your name as a walk-in when our requirements are complete. For dialysis assistance, the requirements are:

• Picture of the patient
• HANDWRITTEN letter from the patient requesting assistance addressed to the PCSO Chairman (currently it's the HON. MARGARITA P. JUICO thru Engr. Federico Damole, OIC Dept. Manager for Visayas-Mindanao)
• Medical abstract complete with physician's complete name, signature, PTR number and license number
• Official Statement of Account from the dialysis center regarding the costs of the dialysis treatment with the Billing Clerk's complete name and signature
• Referral Letter from the facility's social worker or Hospital Social Service, if any  (if without social worker, letter indicating facility has no social worker)

NOTE: Have 2 photocopies of each when you go to PCSO. That means you have 1 original and 2 photocopies including photocopies for the patient's picture. A patient can designate someone to do all of this for him or her and go to the PCSO it seems.

After having my name listed and finding out I am number 4, I was asked to come back at 9 am. When I came back, the line of people. It is a mix of people renewing their request for assistance and other first-timers. Numbers were being called. Mine was called before lunchtime. I was given a form to fill up indicating family income and expenses basically. Once finished, I went back inside and I was scheduled to come back after lunch for the interview. I was interviewed at around 3PM already. Then for claiming the guarantee letter for the facility from PCSO, I was asked to come back two days after.

When I got the letter, I was so happy. I found out I can renew my request every 2 months. The date to renew is in an index card the PCSO gives you signed by the interviewer. Each time, it appears that the assistance will be Php 10,000. In effect, 3 free dialysis every 2 moths for a total of 12 free dialysis from PCSO a year if you start applying for assistance in January. Each time you renew, you submit the same requirements. 

I handed the sealed letter from PCSO to the dialysis center and that's it! You can insert your PCSO-guaranteed dialysis sessions in between your Philhealth subsidized dialysis sessions. Thank you PCSO. Thank you to those who bought PCSO lotto tickets also. Hehe.