Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (PPAB)

House Assistant Majority Leader Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong has raised certain hospitals' alleged practice of jacking up bills of patients once they reveal that they are Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) members.

Adiong, a member of the House "Young Guns" bloc, took part Wednesday, Jan.  22 in the hearing of the Committee on Good Government concerning issues hounding the state health insurer.

During the hearing, Adiong directly asked PhilHealth if it was aware of the "exploitative" practice.

"Kasi nangyayari ito eh, and I have talked with several of my constituents, pag sila ay lalabas ng hospital and asked for a billing, pag hindi nila sinabi na PhilHealth, mababa yung medical bills. The moment that they mention that they are members of PhilHealth nag-iiba yung billings, [tumataas yung] medical bills," he said.

(This is what happens, and I have talked with several of my constituents, when they are about to be discharged from the hospital and they ask for a billing, they are given a low amount. The moment that they mention that they are members of PhilHealth, the billing charges, the medical bills go up.)

"I just want to know from PhilHealth, are they aware of these complaints….I would call this exploitation ng ating mga pasyente (of our patients),” said the outspoken legislator.

A high-ranking official of PhilHealth answered in the affirmative, but claimed that such instances weren't prevalent.

“I have heard similar reports as manifested, even before the effectivity of Universal Health Care (UHC), because at that time we have certain requirements for premium contribution before a member can avail of PhilHealth benefits,” PhilHealth Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dino Santos said.

“But at present, those similar reports are very rare considering that everyone, all Filipinos are already considered members and can avail any time of PhilHealth benefits,” said Santos, a lawyer. 

“At present, personally I have not received similar reports because of the universality of the UHC right now,” he told Adiong.

But the Mindanaoan said that the reports he received were of cases that happened recently.

“The same complaints and the same problems have reached the attention of this representation. That’s why it's very alarming. I think the PhilHealth needs to do something about this," Adiong said.

The PhilHealth is an attached agency of the Department of Health (DOH).