PhilHealth says limited workforce among reasons for delayed claims
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has acknowledged that there were delays in processing the claims of different hospitals amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

PhilHealth Spokesperson Shirley Domingo said that the pandemic has also affected their workforce which is one of the reasons why there is a delay in the processing of claims.
"Ang sinasabi namin, may delay po tayo talaga sa ating processing ng claims because pati PhilHealth naapektuhan rin yan ng pandemic na ito. Meron mga nagkakasakit, meron kailangan i-confine, meron kailangan i-isolate kasi na expose sila (What we are saying is, there is really a delay in our processing of claims because PhilHealth was also affected by this pandemic. There are those who get sick, there are those who need to be confined, there are those who need to be isolated because they are exposed )," Domingo said in a television interview on Thursday, May 20.
Domingo also added that there are some necessary procedures that should be undertaken before they release the payments to hospitals.
"Hindi naman tayo kaagad magbabayad unless i-process iyon. So may mga claim forms iyon na nandoon yung mga data of confinement and then inaassess po natin iyan before we pay. May process po iyon talaga (We won't pay right away unless we process it. So there are claim forms with the data of confinement and then we assess that before we pay. There really is a process)," she said.
In 2020, Domingo said that PhilHealth has spent P4.84 billion for "COVID-related expenses." She added, "itong 2021 ay nakabayad na tayo, as of May 17, ng P4.88 billion (This 2021, we have already paid, as of May 17, P4.88 billion)."
The PhilHealth official assured hospitals that they have enough funds to pay the claims. "May pondo pa po ang PhilHealth (PhilHealth still have funds)," said Domingo.
During a Senate hearing on Thursday, May 19, Philippine Hospital Association (PHA) President Dr.Jaime Almora said that PhilHealth has yet to pay the claims of different hospitals for treating COVID-19 patients.