DOJ: PhilHealth still paid hospitals that already had IRM cash advances

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. still paid hospitals for treating its members despite already having cash advances from the state-insurer's interim reimbursement mechanism, the Department of Justice has found.

According to Maki Pulido's report on "24 Oras", the DOJ said PhilHealth spent double by approving the claims of hospitals that had already been reimbursed in advance under the IRM.

"Even with the IRM, they were also paying the hospitals through the usual na reimbursement system,"Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said.

"So may pera na naka-park, but at the same time, nag-rereimburse yung PhilHealth for medical expenses claimed by the hospitals. So nadoble,"  he added.

The department is studying how much money and which hospitals were involved.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and PhilHealth's board have also ordered investigations into the matter.

This issue emerged during a hearing of a DOJ-led task force investigating alleged corruption in PhilHealth.

Perete told reporters that PhilHealth officials Rodolfo del Rosario and Israel Pargas testified in the hearing held Monday.

The DOJ is also looking into the legality of the IRM over issues in the publication of the mechanism's guidelines.

Perete said the guidelines had to have been published and a copy deposited with the Office of the National Administrative Register as a requirement.

He said the guidelines were published in March, but that a copy was only deposited in the ONAR in June.

He said disbursements made under the IRM before a copy of the guidelines was deposited may be invalid and those who allowed it may face criminal liability. -Nicole-Anne Lagrimas/NB, GMA News