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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PhilHealth asks Senate for a P138-B subsidy for 2021

PhilHealth asks Senate for a P138-B subsidy for 2021

Published Oct 9, 2020 10:01 pm

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) on Friday urged the Senate to grant its request for a P138-billion subsidy for next year so it can carry out the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) law amid a COVID-19 pandemic.

PhilHealth Acting Senior Vice President Neri Santiago said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) only approved P71-billion for the state health insurance agency in the proposed P4.5-trillion National Expenditure program (NEP) for 2021.

Santiago said PhilHealth has no sufficient funds for COVID claims for both in-patient and for testing that is why an augmentation is needed.

“Ngayong dumating ang pandemya mas bumaba pa ang koleksyon namin and at the same time mas malaki ang benefit payout (During this pandemic, our collection suffered while at the same time the benefit payout is bigger),” Santiago told senators during the Senate’s hearing on the proposed budget of the Department of Health (DOH).

Santiago stressed government subsidy is important to ensure that PhilHealth can still effectively operate next year.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography said he agrees on the need to ensure the proper implementation of the UHC Act.

“Nakausap ko na ang mga economic managers natin, and they have given their assurance that they will support the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) law. Let us give the needed funding to fully implement it,” Go said during the hearing.

Go said the government’s goal in crafting the 2021 budget must not only about how to overcome and defeat COVID-19 but also to be more prepared for, and more responsive to any other health crisis that may come in the future.

“We need to ensure the proper implementation of the Universal Health Care Act. Napaka-importante po niyan, lalo na sa kinakaharap nating krisis ngayon. Hindi natin dapat hayaan na dumating ang panahon na tatanggihan ang pasyente sa ospital  dahil wala na tayong pondo. Hindi po katanggap-tanggap ‘yan.  (It’s very important, especially during this time of crisis. Let’s not allow such things to happen when a patient would be refused medical treatment because we have no more funds. That is not acceptable),” he pointed out.

Sen. Imelda “Imee” Marcos, however, said many of the senators are wary of giving PhilHealth additional public funds due to the alleged irregularities hounding the agency.

"Marami ho kasi sa aming mga kasamahan nagsasabi na huwag ninyong bibigyan ang PhilHealth ng karagdagan pagkat nawawala naman lahat ng pera sa PhilHealth, (Many of our colleagues here are saying PhilHealth shouldn’t be given additional funds since PhilHealth loses all of it to corruption),” Marcos told the official. 

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