PHAPi slams PhilHealth excess funds transfer, cites unpaid claims in private hospitals

The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPi) questioned the transfer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) P89.9 billion excess funds to the national treasury, citing the health provider has yet to pay claims from private hospitals .

In an interview with Super Radyo DzBB on Thursday, PHAPi president Dr. Jose Rene de Grano said PhilHealth still owes private hospitals about P4 to 6 billion in claims.   

“Recently, bumilis ang pagbabayad nila ng utang pero malaki pa rin,” De Grano said.

“Nakakapagtaka na ang dami pala nilang mga sobra sobrang perang yan pero parang hinigpitan pa nila yung release ng pagbabayad,” he added.

(Recently, PhilHealth has expedited the payment of its debts but the amount is still substantial. It’s surprising that they have so much money but it seems like they tightened the release of payments.)

In 2023, PhilHealth owed private hospitals at least P10 billion in claims. The amount continues to increase as patients keep coming and private hospitals cannot refuse to accept nor deny granting PhilHealth grants.

In response, PhilHealth promised to pay a "high percentage" of the P27 billion in hospital dues within 90 days, which include unpaid claims from private hospitals.

The Supreme Court has ordered several senior government officials to submit their comments to a petition blocking the transfer PhilHealth’s excess funds to the national treasury.

On Wednesday, the Department of Budget and Management released a list of priority programs and projects to be funded by excess funds of state-run corporations.

With an estimated worth of P200 billion, the programs and projects include the government counterpart of foreign-assisted projects, personnel benefits, public health emergency benefits and allowances for health care and non-healthcare workers, and payment of right-of-way.

Finance Secretary Ralph Recto earlier said the order to remit excess government-owned and controlled corporations funds has a legal basis. —RF, GMA Integrated News