Gierran vows to pay 60% of unpaid hospital claims by next week

PhilHealth president Dante Gierran on Thursday vowed to pay 60% of the in-process claims of hospitals by next week.

During the House committee on good government and public accountability hearing into the status of the state insurer's unpaid claims to hospitals, it was disclosed that PhilHealth has P21.1 billion worth of unpaid claims.

"Babayaran talaga 'yan kasi alam po namin ang paghihirap ng mga hospitals. Samakatuwid po, mayroon na tayo ngayon expanded DCPM (Debit-Credit Payment Method)," Gierran said.

(We will pay that, we know the hardships of hospitals. At present, we have the Debit-Credit Payment Method.)

"Next week babayaran ito. Doon pa rin sa DCPM, ibig sabihin 60% kung magkano ang amount na dapat naming bayaran doon sa healthcare institutions ay bayaran kaagad 'yan outright, 60%. By next week, may awa si Lord, wipe out po 'yan 60%," he added.

(This will be paid next week. Sixty percent of the total amount that needs to be paid will be compensated next week.)

The Palace had urged PhilHealth to pay private hospital claims as soon as possible and clean its ranks of erring personnel.

This came after private hospitals had threatened to cut ties with PhilHealth by next year due to the state-run corporation’s refusal to pay the claims of hospitals and healthcare institutions or providers that are subject to investigations.

In the same hearing, Gierran has lamented how the state-run agency is hurting from the recent controversies hounding it, including the unpaid hospital claims.

"Ito sasabihin ko na po: bugbog na po kami. I open my heart, bugbog na po kami (I will tell you: We are hurt. I'm opening my heart, we are really hurting)," Gierran said.—AOL, GMA News