Duque open to PhilHealth privatization to stem 'corruption'

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Friday said he is amenable to the proposal to privatize the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) in a bid to stem corruption.

"Yes, there are many components of the health insurance system that can be outsourced. An example would be claims processing, 'yung counter fraud, risk management — tatlo po 'yan na puwede natin i-privatize," Duque said during the Senate hearing on the Department of Health's proposed P203.74-billion budget for 2021.

"Makakatulong po ito para sa maayos na pamamalakad ng PhilHealth. Maiiwasan po 'yung mga pandaraya sa pag-file ng mga claims kung ito ay naka-privatize," he added.

Duque is the current chairperson of the PhilHealth Board and was among those whom the Senate recommended to be indicted over the state insurer's alleged anomalous interim reimbursement mechanism.

The Health Secretary has repeatedly denied involvement

As a result of the Task Force PhilHealth's parallel probe, the National Bureau of Investigation started to file graft and malversation complaints against several PhilHealth executives excluding Duque.

To end the corruption issues in PhilHealth, the Governance Commission for GOCCs said it is also looking at privatization as an option.

President Rodrigo Duterte, exasperated by reports of corruption in PhilHealth, has considered the idea of its privatization, if not abolition. —KBK, GMA News