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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PhilHealth owes hospitals P27B, vows to pay most of it in 3 months

PhilHealth owes hospitals P27B, vows to pay most of it in 3 months

Published Sep 6, 2023 09:01 am

At A Glance

  • The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) owes some P27 billion in payables to local hospitals, its President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. admitted on Wednesday, Sept. 6 to the House Committee on Appropriations. 

20230715_182553-01.jpeg(MANILA BULLETIN)

 

 

 

 

 

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) owes some P27 billion in payables to local hospitals, its President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. admitted on Wednesday, Sept. 6 to the House Committee on Appropriations. 

AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee drew out this figure from Ledesma as the latter interpellated the Department of Health (DOH) panel during the department's 2024 budget deliberation. 

Lee asked PhilHealth when it would pay this debt, as it would go a long way in improving the services of the involved private hospitals as well as prevent delays in the salaries of their medical personnel. 

“Based on our discussion, I am confident that within 90 days from today, the bulk or the majority of the P27 billion will be paid off,” Ledesma said rather confidently 

The PhilHealth chief told the panel that they are preparing to use the Debit Credit Payment Method (DCPM) formula in a bid to accelerate their payment to hospitals it owed money to. 

In terms of financial standing, Ledesma said the agency has P466 billion worth of investible funds and a net income of around P68.4 billion as of July 31. 

Despite these pronouncements, Lee chided the PhilHealth for not paying the hospitals despite having the funds for it. 

"Kung P27 billion yan, napakaliit lang na halaga yan kung tutuusin kumpara sa napakalaking pondo na meron ang PhilHealth. Hindi naman pwedeng lumalago nga ang pondo, pero marami ang naaagrabyado, kung saan nalalagasan tayo ng mga medical frontliners, at napagkakaitan ng serbisyong pangkalusugan ang mahihirap nating kababayan," the rookie solon said. 

(If its P27 billion, that's too small an amount compared to the huge budget of PhilHealth. It's unacceptable that while your budget is growing, we are losing medical frontliners and the poor are being denied of health services.) 

“Kung may bilyon-bilyong pondo ang PhilHealth, dapat mas mapalawak ang benepisyo sa mga miyembro nito. Dapat fully ma-implement na rin yung outpatient benefit packages na covered ng ahensya,":added Lee. 

(If PhilHealth has billions worth of funds, then its members should enjoy more benefits. The agency's outpatient benefit packages must also be fully implemented.) 

The Bicolano said he expects the speedy fulfillment of PhilHealth’s commitment to the hospitals.

 

Related Tags

department of health Wilbert T. Lee PhilHealth Agri Party-list
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