SENATOR Christopher Lawrence Go pressed PhilHealth officials on Monday to frontload reforms to ensure a “more responsive health-care system.”
This developed as Senate Bill No. 1829 authored by Senate President Vicente Sotto III was approved at the committee level during the hearing, proposing PhilHealth to be headed by a finance official, subject to possible amendments and further review.
In a Senate hearing, Go also reminded PhilHealth to promptly “settle its bill” with the Philippine Red Cross “according to law.”
Presiding over the hearing as chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go called for “a better and more responsive health-care system, beginning with much needed reforms in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.”
Go convened the hearing to tackle the proposal to designate the Secretary of Finance as chairman of the PhilHealth board, instead of the Secretary of Health, even as Go acknowledged the efforts of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
After the hearing, Go also affirmed support for early passage of Senate Bill No. 1829 introducing reforms to address issues hounding the state insurance agency, including the mandate that “mainly deals with fiscal management related to health care, noting that “if passed, the health chief will still remain as a member of the board.”
According to Go, “Secretary Duque is doing everything he can do to respond to this pandemic. He is one of those we rely on heavily as Secretary of Health and [Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases] Chairperson. He bears a huge responsibility in this health crisis so we must pull together to help our people,” he added, partly in Filipino.
He noted it is not the first time that PhilHealth was involved in controversy, recalling that “in 2015, the Blue Ribbon committee conducted an inquiry into fraudulent claims. Every year, there is an investigation involving PhilHealth.”
Go suggested that “it is probably time to have the Department of Finance take the helm,” pointing out that PhilHealth is an insurance corporation, and that “it will be very appropriate if the Secretary of Finance would lead the Board.”
He challenged Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III to protect the interests of the public and ensure the agency’s funds are used appropriately, disclosing that he personally discussed the proposed measure with Dominguez who vowed to go after the corrupt officials within and outside the agency if he is made chair.
‘Pay Red Cross’
Meanwhile, Go also urged PhilHealth to settle its obligations with the Philippine Red Cross, which last week suspended the conduct of Covid-19 tests for persons whose tests are covered by PhilHealth. The PRC said despite repeated requests, the PhilHealth had not paid it millions due from past tests, pushing the Red Cross to a cash flow dilemma as it has to keep purchasing chemicals and supplies in order to continue testing people.
“Just a reminder: Our testing capacity must not be disrupted. We don’t want to add to our people’s burdens by making them pay for their Covid-19 testing, like the OFWs, returning individuals, medical frontliners among others. PhilHealth should cooperate with Red Cross, in order to pay what must be paid according to law,” he said.
Go offered to serve as a bridge between the parties and help resolve the issue. He revealed that a recent meeting was conducted with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Senator and Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon and Dante Gierran.
“Red Cross is a big help to us, especially with their 24/7 operations. We cannot allow Red Cross to be squeezed just because government cannot pay. It’s important to ensure there is no disruption in services to our people, especially in this pandemic, every minute counts…. Lives are at stake here,” added the Senator.
During the hearing, various measures seeking to address the lack of appropriate facilities and equipment in public hospitals throughout the country were also discussed. Several bills establishing or converting hospitals were likewise tackled and approved on committee level.