After ‘heated’ meeting, PhilHealth, PHAPI agree to work together —Bong Go

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go on Saturday said that the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) have agreed — during a private meeting on Thursday — to work together to settle the issue on billions of pesos in supposedly unpaid claims.

"Nung nakaraang Huwebes nagkaroon tayo [ng] private meeting with PhilHealth and PHAPi. Nagkasundo naman sila, unang-una medyo mainit ang kanilang usapan pero nagkasundo naman sila at naintindihan ko naman both sides," Go said in a radio interview.

"They have reached an agreement to work together to resolve their issues... They will work closely to resolve the alleged fraudulent claims at tiniyak ng PhilHealth na handa silang makinig at makipag ayos sa pribadong ospital," he added.

In a separate interview on Super Radyo dzBB on Saturday, PHAPI president Dr. Rustico Jimenez confirmed Go's claim and said their association and the PhilHealth has already reached an agreement to work together to settle the matter.

Around 600 members of PHAPi on Monday threatened that they will not renew their PhilHealth accreditation in 2020 since the latter still owes the association around P2.5 billion in reimbursements.

According to Go, the PhilHealth will call for a quarterly regional forums to talk about the issues and concerns.

"Hindi totoo na ang mga private hospital will pull out from PhilHealth. Sana po maging maganda ang mga susunod na panahon ay maganda na ang relasyon nila para sa kapakanan ng mga pasyente," Go said.

Go, chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, assured that the PhilHealth is committed to paying the claims.

"Talagang mananagot kayo kung may lulusot na ganun at suspindido kayo so kayo po ay dapat tumulong... Sisiguraduhin natin na wala dapat masayang ni piso po. ito ay pera ng taumbayan dapat walang masayang," he said.

Go added that hospitals found committing violations will have their accreditation revoked. However, Go assured that so far the PHAPI and the PhilHealth continue to have an "open line."

Jimenez, in the Super Radyo dzBB interview, appealed to the PhilHealth to not strip the accreditation of member-private hospitals over the allegations of unpaid claims.

Meanwhile, Go is hopeful that the problem will soon be resolved so as not to affect patients.

"[A]ko ay nakikiusap sa kanila na sana maging maganda na ang relasyon nila at tuloy tuloy po ang pagseserbisyo lalo na sa mga pasyente na di na makakaantay na may mag-away," he said. — Joahna Lei Casilao/MDM, GMA News