Do you need money for your health problem or for someone you love? You can ask for help from the PCSO Medical Assistance Program. This is a program from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) that gives money to poor Filipinos who need help with their medical bills.
This program started in 1993 and works with many hospitals, health centers, medicine stores, and other government offices like DSWD. They want to help Filipinos who have no money for their health needs.
In this article, we will tell you how to ask for help from the PCSO Medical Assistance Program in 2023. We will also tell you what you need to prepare and what they can help you with. We will also give you a list of hospitals that work with PCSO.
What is PCSO?
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is a government agency that runs lotteries and other games of chance in the Philippines. President Manuel L. Quezon established it in 1935 to raise money for charitable and health-related initiatives.
The PCSO is known for its popular lotto games, such as Swertres, Lotto 6/42, Mega Lotto 6/45, Super Lotto 6/49, Grand Lotto 6/55, and Ultra Lotto 6/58. These games have made many Filipinos millionaires and have also helped many others who need medical assistance. The PCSO also has other games like Keno, Scratch-It, and STL.
Who is Eligible for PCSO Medical Assistance?
The PCSO Medical Assistance Program can help patients who have a health problem and need money for it. Patients can apply by themselves or through a representative. They need to have these documents:
- A medical or clinical abstract that says they are in a hospital or health center, or they are going to one, or they need to go to another country for their treatment because no local hospital or health center can do it.
- An ID card or any proof of identity and citizenship that shows who they are and that they are Filipinos.
- A PCSO IMAP Application Form that they fill out from PCSO to ask for help.
- A medical abstract or a clinical abstract from their doctor that tells about their health problem and has their name and number on it.
- A statement of account or a billing statement from the hospital or health center that tells how much money they need to pay them.
- A social case study report from a DSWD or LGU social worker that tells about their situation and why they need help
The program can help patients who are in a government or private hospital, or who have left the hospital but still owe them money. It can also help patients who have a health problem that needs regular treatment outside the hospital, like cancer or kidney dialysis. It can also help patients who need to go to another country for their treatment because no local hospital or health center can do it.
PCSO Medical Assistance Requirements
To avail of PCSO Medical Assistance for your hospital bills, you need to submit these papers to PCSO. You may also need to meet some additional requirements, depending on your request from the PCSO.
- A fully-accomplished PCSO IMAP Application Form. Download it here.
- A Medical Abstract or a Clinical Abstract that your doctor signs and writes your health problem and their name and license number on it. You can get this from the Medical Records Section of the hospital. Tell them you need it for PCSO help.
- Handwritten Request for Financial Assistance Addressed to PCSO General Manager Alexander Bulutan or PCSO Chairman Simeon Pinili.
- A statement of account or a billing statement from the hospital that tells how much money you need to pay them. You can get this from the finance and billing section of the hospital. The Billing Officer or Credit Supervisor should sign it. If you are in the pay section, tell them you need it for PCSO help. Make sure it has all the deductions on it.
- A valid ID of the patient and the representative. This can be a government ID like a passport, Driver’s License, GSIS eCard, PRC ID, Voter’s ID, PhilHealth ID, or Senior Citizen’s ID. It can also be a Company ID or a Student ID.
- If you are in the charity or social service section of the hospital, a paper from the Medical Social Services of the hospital says they agree with your request for PCSO help.
- If you have left the hospital but still owe them money, get a paper from the hospital that says how much money you still need to pay them. This can be a promissory note that the hospital signs or certification with your remaining balance.
- If your health problem is because of an accident or a crime, get a copy of the report from the police or the traffic enforcers that tells what happened.
How To Apply for PCSO Medical Assistance
If you already have all the requirements stated above, you may now proceed in applying for the PCSO Medical Assistance Program.
For Patients from NCR
Starting February 1, 2022, those from the NCR need to apply online through the NCR Online Application System. To apply online, here are the steps you need to follow:
- Scan all the documentary requirements. Make sure they are clear and easy to read.
- Go to https://www.pcso.gov.ph/ and click “E-Services”. Choose the NCR Online Application for Medical Assistance and click “Proceed to Online Application”.
- Supply all the needed information about the patient’s details.
- Attach all the documents you scanned to the system. Each file should not be larger than 2MB.
- You will get an email from PCSO on the same day saying they received your request.
- If your request is approved, they will send you a Guarantee Letter. Print this and the MAP application form.
- Submit the Guarantee Letter, the MAP application form, and all the documents to the hospital, dialysis center, partner health facility (PHF), medicine retailer, or diagnostic center where you get your treatment.
Apply as early as you can. The website will only take requests from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. They also have a limit on how many requests they can help with each day. If they reach the limit, you can try again the next day.
For Non-NCR Patients
If you are not in the NCR, you can go to the nearest PCSO Regional Office and submit the application requirements. Their personnel will check your documents, and you will then be scheduled for an interview.
How to Check the Status of the Application
You can check the status of your PCSO Medical Assistance request online or by phone. To check it online, go to the PCSO website, click the IMAP Status Inquiry link, and then enter your Guarantee Letter number and the date of issuance of the IMAP.
To inquire by phone, call the PCSO hotline at (02) 8465-7000 or (02) 8708-7080. Provide your name, GL number, and date of issuance to inquire about your application status.