PhilHealth director says funds not enough for 2020 if leaks remain unplugged

Funds of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) are starting to deplete and will not last until the end of the year should leaks remain unplugged, a director claimed Tuesday.

In a Senate hearing, PhilHealth board director Alejandro Cabading said funds will not even be enough to pay loans should irregularities persist moving forward.

"Kung 'yan po ang trend, hindi po 'yan natin ma-plug kaagad, I don't think so the money of PhilHealth will last even until the end of the year. That's my projection," he told senators.

"Actually, pinagsasabing may pera tayo pero ang naiwan sa PhilHealth ay kulang pa na pambayad ng utang, 'yung regular benefit claims," he added.

This comes amid allegations that non-COVID-19 cases were charged as COVID-19 cases because the patient tested positive for the disease, even if the treatment given to them was for unrelated cases.

An example given by Senator Francis Tolentino was a motorcycle rider who got into a vehicular accident and later tested positive for COVID-19, and so the finances were charged from the PhilHealth COVID funds.

"We are already on the cliff financially, that I could said confidently. Medyo talagang tagilid na. We have to check on this issue," said Cabading.

PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales was also present at the Senate hearing but has yet to respond to such claims as of this posting time.

In June, Morales assured the public that funds of the state insurer are enough to last 2020 even amid the global health crisis.

"Yes, we have money. We will be fine for the year 2020 and then maybe up to the middle of next year, so there's nothing to worry about," he said on June 22. —KBK, GMA News