Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre (Rep. Acidre's Office)

Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said the long-standing inefficiencies in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) are not a new concern, but rather an enduring issue that the Duterte administration failed to address.

Acidre, an assistant majority leader, said he was clarified of this matter during the hearing by the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability on PhilHealth's financial status.

“Naliwanagan ako na the problem did not happen overnight. Iyun ang pinakaimportante,” he said in a recent press briefing.

(I realize that the problem did not happen overnight. That is the most important thing.)

“Siguro sa pang-unawa natin sa problema sa PhilHealth, nakita natin hindi ho nagsimula ang problema na ito sa nakaraang taon lang kundi nandun na po yung problema na ito dahil napabayaan na po ang PhilHealth ng mga naunang administrasyon,” he added.

(Perhaps in our understanding of the problem with PhilHealth, we see that this issue did not start just last year but has been there because previous administrations have neglected PhilHealth.)

Under the proposed national budget for 2025, the state health insurer has been granted zero subsidy.

Lawmakers earlier explained that this was done to help solve PhilHealth’s inefficiencies, noting that the agency has substantial funds surplus and total reserves.

Acidre, in particular, emphasized that PhilHealth’s benefit case rates were left untouched for 12 years despite inflation healthcare costs rising significantly.

“Labing dalawang taon po, na hindi ni-review ang ating case rates ng PhilHealth. Since 2012 kung ano yung binabayaran ng PhilHealth sa bawat pagkakasakit, sa bawat package, yun pa rin ang binabayaran for the next 12 years until February of this year,” he said.

(Twelve years have passed without a review of our PhilHealth case rates. Since 2012, the amount PhilHealth pays for each illness, in every package, has remained the same for the next 12 years until February of this year.)

He pointed out that this period included the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who had six years to solve the issue.

“Sa buong anim na taon, lalong-lalo na ng Duterte administration… sana naging masigasig ang unang administrasyon sa pag-update ng ating PhilHealth packages,” the lawmaker said.

(In the entire six years, especially during the Duterte administration... the previous administration should have been more diligent in updating our PhilHealth packages.)

However, he said the lack of stability in PhilHealth during the previous administration could have made things worse for the agency.

“Anim na taon po nakaupo si Duterte, anim din ang kanyang naging pangulo ng PhilHealth. Napakahirap na magkakaroon ka ng isang Presidente ng PhilHealth every year,” he noted. 

(Duterte served for six years, and he also had six PhilHealth presidents during his term. It's very difficult to have a new PhilHealth President every year.)

Acidre likewise questioned the decision to triple the salaries of PhilHealth executives during the Covid-19 pandemic while members received no corresponding increase in benefits.

“Nakita ko tumaas ang sweldo ng mga executive officers ng PhilHealth. Nung panahon ng pandemic, imagine niyo po, ‘yung benefits natin hindi lumaki pero ang sweldo ng mga taga-PhilHealth na executive officers nag-triple po,” he said.

(I saw that the salaries of PhilHealth executive officers increased. During the pandemic, imagine, our benefits did not grow, but the salaries of PhilHealth executive officers tripled.)

The Commission on Audit (COA) earlier reported that the compensation for PhilHealth’s top brass saw a huge increase from P26.202 million in 2021 to P72.244 million in 2022.

With all these issues hounding the agency, Acidre said this only leads to dissatisfaction and frustration among members that their premium contributions are not being utilized properly.