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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider P535-M discounts not given by health care institutions to senior citizens in 2022 -- COA

P535-M discounts not given by health care institutions to senior citizens in 2022 -- COA

Published Aug 10, 2023 09:14 am

At A Glance

  • Several health care institutions (HCIs) in the country failed to provide P535.6 million discounts to 196,695 senior citizens in 2022, the Commission on Audit (COA) said.

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Several health care institutions (HCIs) in the country failed to provide P535.6 million discounts to 196,695 senior citizens in 2022, the Commission on Audit (COA) said.

 

As a result, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) shouldered the P113.1 million discounts that were not deducted, while the remaining P422.526 million was paid either by the senior citizens themselves or by other government agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Office of the President, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), and several local government units (LGUs), it said.

 

In its 2022 audit report on PhilHealth, COA disclosed that there were 106,630 cases of senior citizens who were not able to claim discounts in the National Capital Region (NCR); 50,392 in Central Visayas; and 35,896 in Davao Region.

 

In Zamboanga Peninsula, COA said that there were 3,078 seniors who failed to get discounts; 538 in Western Visayas, 117 in MIMAROPA; and 44 in the Bicol Region.

 

It cited that under Republic Act No. 9994, the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, senior citizen patients are entitled to 20 percent discount both from the "total actual health care" (hospital bill) and the "total actual professional fee" (PF) of attending physicians.

 

But it lamented that a total of P535.626 million senior citizen discounts were not deducted from the total hospital bills and PFs in 2022.

 

"The overpayments have inadvertently favored the HCIs rather than the senior citizen member-patients, who should have been the intended beneficiaries of these funds that could have significantly contributed to improving the quality of their lives in terms of accessible and quality healthcare services," the COA pointed out.

 

It said its audit team has recommended that PhilHealth's top management should "determine the extent and range" of similar conditions nationwide in order to identify the issues. 

 

Once determined, it said PhilHealth can undertake remedial actions to address the inconsistencies in senior citizens’ discount computation and deduction nationwide.

 

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