Bong Go to Philhealth, PHAPi: Settle unpaid claims issue or get summoned to Senate

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go urged Wednesday the officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPi) to talk among themselves amid the issue of supposed unpaid claims amounting to billions.

“Tinawagan ko agad kanina si PhilHealth president (Ricardo) Morales sabi ko asikasuhin niya muna ang claims. Sabi nya aasikasuhin nila ang claims, wala pong katotohanan na magpupull out ang private hospitals,” Go, Senate health committee chairman, told reporters.

He also expressed readiness to call the two parties to the Senate to address the issue.

“Ako as chairman ng committee on health, kung kelangan sila ipatawag at ipatatawag ko sila to address this. Importante walang fraudulent claims, ghost claims at ayaw natin may masayang na pera,” he said.

The senator said PhilHealth should pay the private hospitals if there are really unpaid claims.

“I will request Morales na bilisan ang bayad sa mga private hospitals dahil sila rin mismo kailangan ng pondo para umikot. Tulungan na lang tayo. Hindi makakaantay ang mga pasyente,” he said.

Around 600 members of the PHAPi threatened that they will not renew their PhilHealth accreditation in 2020 due to unpaid claims amounting to P2.5 billion.

But PhilHealth’s Morales said he found the allegations strange and amusing.

“I think it's the other way around. These hospitals do not want to cease their accreditation with PhilHealth. Sa pananaw namin ay nakakamangha dahil sa mga nakakausap naming sinasabi niyang miyembro ng kaniyang kasapian, iba naman ang sinasabi nila—gusto nilang magpa-accredit sa PhilHealth,” he said.

He also challenged PHAPi president Dr. Rustico Jimenez to provide more details about the supposed unsettled reimbursements.

"'Yung mga sinasabi niyang mga hindi nababayaran, puwede siyang magbigay ng more specifics. Masasagot natin," he said. — MDM, GMA News