ADVERTISEMENT
News
Gordon admits being hurt after Padilla questioned out-of-pocket cost of COVID-19 testing in Red Cross
By DONA MAGSINO,GMA News Philippine Red Cross (PRC) chairman and Senator Richard Gordon on Monday expressed dismay after a fellow mass testing advocate questioned the out-of-pocket expenses incurred to some Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) members who scheduled COVID-19 testing with the humanitarian organization.
During a virtual forum hosted by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, Dr. Minguita Padilla mentioned that her driver was asked to pay P4,500 when he scheduled a COVID-19 testing appointment with the PRC.
"When they asked about PhilHealth, 'Aren't we entitled to PhilHealth?' The answer was 'It's up to you now to deal with PhilHealth and ask them to reimburse,' which is really wrong because based on Universal Health Care, PhilHealth should reimburse the hospital or the health care institution that delivers the service. It's not up to the patient who pays premiums to run after PhilHealth to get the reimbursement," Padilla said.
"I am actually quite intrigued or baffled by why it is the case, especially since they got an advance of a P100 million which was not hidden anyway, it was actually an open thing and there's another P3,500 that PhilHealth allegedly pays so what is this all about? It is something we need to find out," she added.
When a related question was raised during Gordon's turn to speak, the senator said: "Huwag kayong mainggit. Minguita, nasaktan ako sa sinabi mo na binigyan kami ng P100 million."
"Kaya lang ako sumasagot, nakakasakit na. Nagtatrabaho na nga lahat ang mga tao namin, nako-COVID na nga 'yung iba, may mga namimintas pa na hindi alam ang pinagsasabi," he said.
Gordon also pointed out that it is the PhilHealth and several government officials which asked for the PRC's assistance for the COVID-19 testing.
"Tahimik lang kami dito, nagtatrabaho kami rito araw-gabi, eh huwag ninyo naman kaming pagsasabihan na ang laki ng perang ibinigay sa amin. May utang pa sa amin ang PhilHealth," he added.
As to the question on PhilHealth reimbursement, Gordon's camp released a statement last week explaining that PhilHealth members must first submit "necessary documents" to the state health insurer before being tested at the PRC.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Once you paid for your test, you won’t be able to reimburse it from PhilHealth," Gordon previously said.
The PRC chairman explained that the cost of the test for those who are swabbed and endorsed by the local government is P3,500. Walk-ins, on the other hand, are charged P4,000 each and an optional P500 if they ask for a "certification."
Former health secretary and now congresswoman Janet Garin said the PRC's pricing is "justifiable."
"The testing fee that was given by the Philippine Red Cross at P3,500, if you look at that cost, that more or less coincides with the WHO computation of P3,750 considering that you construct the infrastructure component, you bought all the equipment, and you also bought all the reagents and the test kits," she said.
Gordon said the cost could further be reduced in the future.
"Mahal talaga. Kung mabababaan 'yan, pag nadami na ang test natin baka bumaba ang ating cost pero not now, hindi pa natin kaya," he said.
"Pero kapag dumami na yan, bababaan natin 'yan sigurado. Makakaasa kayo," he added.
Padilla, for her part, clarified during the same forum that she is not questioning the cost but the confusing payment and reimbursement process.
"Our question is why there is an extra charge of P4,500 for people like my driver who is a Philhealth paying member. Something that we cannot explain," she said.—AOL, GMA News