Revamp PhilHealth due to overpricing scandal -- Drilon
Published May 24, 2020 12:00 am
By Hannah L. Torregoza
Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon on Sunday called for a revamp of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth), as he expressed belief that a group within the state health insurance agency is responsible for setting unreasonable prices for COVID-19 test packages.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon
(Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Drilon, who earlier flagged the agency for its supposedly overpriced COVID-19 testing packages, said PhilHealth should undergo reorganization to stop corruption within its ranks. “A maliwanag ay mayroon grupo diyan na nagse –set ng packages. Siguro yan ang tingnan at i-reorganize. Hindi mo maiwasang isipin na siguro may network sa iba’t ibang hospitals at service providers na binabayaran ng PhilHealth (It’s clear there is a group within the agency who are responsible for setting the packages. I think that should be probed and reorganized. You can’t help but think they have this network with different hospitals and service providers linked with PhilHealth),” Drilon said in an GMANews TV interview. Drilon noted this is not the first time the agency was flagged for irregularities, recalling the alleged “ghost dialysis” controversy that hounded PhilHealth last year. “Siguro panahon na para i-reorganize itong PhilHealth. Hindi ito first time—may ghost dialysis. Bawat may widespread problem sa health at kailangan ang PhilHealth, nakakapagtaka naririning mo yung package nila ay mahigit sa pangangailangan (I think it is time to reorganize PhilHealth. This is not the first time—there was this ghost dialysis issue. Each time there is a widespread problem on health and PhilHealth is needed, you find it surprising to hear they are offering packages that are greater than the need),” Drilon pointed out. Drilon reiterated PhilHealth should lower down the cost of the COVID-19 test from P8,150 to P3,500—the same rate they agreed upon with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC). Drilon said that while he doesn’t want to conclude that PhilHealth intended to increase the COVID-19 testing rate, there is a ‘prima facie’ evidence there is an anomaly. “Kaya mabuting i-reorganize na muna at kung may makitang kaso, i-file na (That’s why I guess its better to reorganize it first, and if they see any possible case, they must file it immediately),” Drilon said. “Kailangan bantayan natin ang investigation dahil kapag hindi binantayan ng media ito, makakalimutan na. (we need to guard this investigation because if the media does not, it will just be forgotten),” he stressed. Drilon also said PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who chairs the agency’s Board of Directors could be made liable for their negligence over the alleged overprice COVID-19 test kits. “They failed to exercise the due diligence of a good father of a family. Yan ang prinsipyo sa batas (that’s the principle of the law),” Drilon said.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon(Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Drilon, who earlier flagged the agency for its supposedly overpriced COVID-19 testing packages, said PhilHealth should undergo reorganization to stop corruption within its ranks. “A maliwanag ay mayroon grupo diyan na nagse –set ng packages. Siguro yan ang tingnan at i-reorganize. Hindi mo maiwasang isipin na siguro may network sa iba’t ibang hospitals at service providers na binabayaran ng PhilHealth (It’s clear there is a group within the agency who are responsible for setting the packages. I think that should be probed and reorganized. You can’t help but think they have this network with different hospitals and service providers linked with PhilHealth),” Drilon said in an GMANews TV interview. Drilon noted this is not the first time the agency was flagged for irregularities, recalling the alleged “ghost dialysis” controversy that hounded PhilHealth last year. “Siguro panahon na para i-reorganize itong PhilHealth. Hindi ito first time—may ghost dialysis. Bawat may widespread problem sa health at kailangan ang PhilHealth, nakakapagtaka naririning mo yung package nila ay mahigit sa pangangailangan (I think it is time to reorganize PhilHealth. This is not the first time—there was this ghost dialysis issue. Each time there is a widespread problem on health and PhilHealth is needed, you find it surprising to hear they are offering packages that are greater than the need),” Drilon pointed out. Drilon reiterated PhilHealth should lower down the cost of the COVID-19 test from P8,150 to P3,500—the same rate they agreed upon with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC). Drilon said that while he doesn’t want to conclude that PhilHealth intended to increase the COVID-19 testing rate, there is a ‘prima facie’ evidence there is an anomaly. “Kaya mabuting i-reorganize na muna at kung may makitang kaso, i-file na (That’s why I guess its better to reorganize it first, and if they see any possible case, they must file it immediately),” Drilon said. “Kailangan bantayan natin ang investigation dahil kapag hindi binantayan ng media ito, makakalimutan na. (we need to guard this investigation because if the media does not, it will just be forgotten),” he stressed. Drilon also said PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who chairs the agency’s Board of Directors could be made liable for their negligence over the alleged overprice COVID-19 test kits. “They failed to exercise the due diligence of a good father of a family. Yan ang prinsipyo sa batas (that’s the principle of the law),” Drilon said.