Morales confident IT system upgrade to curb fraudulent PhilHealth claims

PhilHealth chief Ricardo Morales on Tuesday stood pat that the fraudulent claims being paid by the state health insurer would significantly be addressed if its information technology (IT) system would be improved.

During a Senate hearing, Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go asked Morales if he thinks he can still solve the entrenched corruption within PhilHealth.

"Kung magagawa ho ang programa natin lalo na sa IT, magagawa ho natin 'yan ang problema ho natin di ho umaabante ang IT systems development program. That is the main reason  kasi 'yun ho ang malaking makakasagot sa issues about corruption," Morales replied.

"Kung makakakuha tayo ng sapat na budget sa IT, maiimplement ito, malilinis natin significantly 'yung fraud," he added.

Morales said a membership database equipped with biometrics would help them weed out claimants who are no longer alive.

He cited for example that under the current database of PhilHealth, some 5,000 members are 130 years old.

"Wala kaming documents na nagsasabi patay na ang taong ito," he added.

However, Senate President Vicente Sotto III pointed out that corruption in PhilHealth is not only due to fraudulent claims but is also linked to questionable procurement patterns of ICT equipment.

"Eh 'yung procurement ninyo ang mayroong issue ng corruption eh. 'Yan ang problema eh. 'Yung pagbili nga ang problema," Sotto said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said that Congress is willing to fund the IT improvement efforts but PhilHealth has to prove that there is no irregularity in the procurement process.

During the same hearing earlier, Board member Alejandro Cabading claimed that there were "paddings" or overpricing on IT purchases and that identical items procured in 2018 and 2019 were also included in the proposed IT budget for 2020.

Morales said he is willing to yield the procurement task to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management.

"Kung puwedeng ang PS-DBM ang maghandle ng procurement, siguro dapat ho ganoon para nasa labas na ng PhilHealth at makaka-focus na kami kung ano dapat gawin sa loob ng PhilHealth," he said. —LDF, GMA News