Marcos Jr. to PhilHealth: Pay hospital claims before yearend

Former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Wednesday called on the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to settle the unpaid claims of hospitals before 2021 ends.

“Sana mangyari ito dahil napakalaking bagay ang maayos na koordinasyon ng PhilHealth at private hospitals ngayong panahon ng pandemya,” said Marcos Jr., presidential aspirant and son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, in a statement.

(They should settle the payment because coordination between PhilHealth and private hospitals is needed in this pandemic.)

Marcos Jr.'s statement comes after several Iloilo private hospitals decided not to renew their partnership with the state health insurer next year because they have yet to receive full payments.

If this continues, Marcos Jr. said Filipinos will be severely affected by the situation as they will shoulder 100% of medical fees.

"Napakahalaga na may matatakbuhan ang mga kababayan nating nangangailan ng tulong, lalo na sa panahon ngayong may pandemiya," he said.

(It is important that our countrymen will have the help that they need during the pandemic.)

"Maaapektuhan ng unpaid claims na ito ang dapat sanang  magandang serbisyo na ibinibigay ng mga pribadong ospital.  Dapat na pag-igihan ng PhilHealth ang kanilang ugnayan sa mga private hospitals. Siguraduhin na sila ay mababayaran na upang hindi maputol at maapektuhan ang mga health care facilities," Marcos Jr. said.

(The unpaid claims will affect the services of our private hospitals. PhilHealth should enhance its coordination with private hospitals. They should make sure that the hospitals are being paid so that services and health care facilities will not stop.)

In a previous statement, PhilHealth said it is already addressing its payables to the hospitals as it vowed to increase its manpower to speed up processing of claims.—LDF, GMA News