Vice presidential candidate Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Tuesday urged the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to make reimbursement claims faster and easier for private hospitals.

Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health, made the call following reports that some private hospitals in Metro Manila and in the provinces are reportedly planning to disengage from PhilHealth over its continued failure to pay reimbursement claims.

According to the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI), these private hospitals have decided to disengage from the health state insurer for its failure to settle the unpaid claims of private hospitals.

“I am again reminding PhilHealth to exert all efforts possible in accordance with our laws to expedite the processing of payments for legitimate claims. Mas bilisan, mas simplehan, at mas iklian ang proseso sa tulong ng teknolohiya at dagdag na tao kung kakailanganin (make the process faster, simpler and shorter with the help of technology and manpower if needed),” Go said in a statement.

“Hindi naman kakayanin ng mga ospital na itutuloy ang kanilang operasyon kung wala naman silang kaukulang pondong magamit dahil sa laki na ng pinapasan nila habang hinihintay ang bayad ng PhilHealth (hospitals would not be able to continue their operations if they do not have the funds they could use due to the huge burden they face while they are waiting for PhilHealth to pay),” Go said.

Go said he and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea had already talked to PhilHealth President Dante Gierran and PHAPI President Dr. Jose Rene de Grano to resolve the matter.

“Pinaalalahanan namin ang pamunuan ng PhilHealth na ayusin ang mga isyu sa mga apektadong ospital at makipag-ugnayan rin sa mga grupo, tulad ng PHAPi, para maresolba ang problema sa mabilis at maayos na paraan (We are reminding the management of PhilHealth to fix the issues involving the affected hospitals and to coordinate closely with the groups like PHAPI, so they can resolve the problem ina faster and orderly manner),” he said.

According to Go, both sides committed to work together in order to protect the welfare of all Filipinos who would be affected.

“Magtulungan tayo alang-alang sa mga kababayan natin. Hindi pwedeng maantala ang serbisyong pangkalusugan, lalo na’t meron tayong pandemyang pilit na nilalampasan (Let’s all help each other and consider the plight of our people. We can’t afford to delay health services, especially now that we still have a pandemic that we need to overcome),” he said.

He also appealed to private hospitals to ensure that they will submit legitimate claims to PhilHealth to make the vetting processes faster.

“Bilang Senador at Committee Chair on Health, patuloy kong tinututukan ito at handang pumagitna palagi para walang mapabayaan. Magtulungan tayo para maging protektado ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino (as chair of the Senate committee on health, I will continue to monitor the developments and would be ready to mediate between the two groups. Let’s help each other to protect the lives of every Filipino),” Go said.