PhilHealth’s multi-billion payout breathes life into healthcare system’s COVID-19 fight
The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) payout of less than P10 billion ordered by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte will greatly help the country’s healthcare system to effectively combat COVID-19, the country’s vaccine czar said on Monday.
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President Rodrigo
Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency
Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the
MalacaΓ±ang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in MalacaΓ±ang Park, Manila on April 12,
2021. KING RODRIGUEZ/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
“Mr. President, nagpapasalamat po ang mga ospital at saka po ‘yung private at saka mga LGUs, private at saka public hospital dahil kasi po first time po na nangyari na napakalaking babayaran po ng PhilHealth na more or less 10 billion,” Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said in a report to President Duterte.
“’Yung
instruction ninyo po na talagang magkaroon po ng collective decision sa pag-ano
po ng PhilHealth ay napakaganda po dahil kasi ‘yung pagbayad ng PhilHealth ng
more or less 9.577 billion for NCR, Region IV, at saka Region III, ay nangako
po sila na mage-expand po sila ng kanilang mga ICU beds.”
Hospitals
promised to allocate 164 ICU beds and open 1,157 beds for moderate and severe
COVID-19 cases.
PhilHealth’s
payment is expected to boost the hospitals’ bleeding resources since the start
of the pandemic, Galvez said, noting as a result of the President’s
instruction, more or less 60 percent of their valid claims will be paid.
“Ang
tagal po nilang hinintay po no’n last year at saka po ngayon kaya tuwang-tuwa
po sila noong --- noong maibibigay na po ‘yung mga tseke para po sa kanila. And
then makakapag-hire na rin po sila ng mga additional staff,” he said.
LGU
hospitals in the National Capital Region (NCR) will also benefit from the
payout, according to Galvez, who is also the chief implementer of the National
Task Force Against COVID-19.
Galvez
reported that Quezon City, Taguig, Caloocan, Manila, Pasay, Valenzuela, San
Juan, Navotas, ParaΓ±aque and Makati have initially committed to put up
additional 30 ICU beds for critical patients and additional 1,350 regular COVID
beds for moderate, mild and asymptomatic cases.
With
more than 100,000 active COVID-19 cases, the country will be needing additional
2,000 beds for severe and critical cases. It has a current inventory of 1,395
ICU beds.
A
total of 605 ICU beds should be put up to address those cases, the vaccine czar
said, adding the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Public Works
and Highways (DPWH) are working to increase bed capacity.
Based
on the President’s instruction, PhilHealth will initially pay 60 percent of the
hospitals’ outstanding claims starting March 2020 to April 2021.
In
his report to the President, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said
government hospitals have their own budget for the procurement of other capital
outlay.
“So
ito po ang isa sa mga pinagba-budget-an po ng ating gobyerno para po sa
kanilang mga kama. Pero kung halimbawa nagkaroon nga ng ganitong state of
public health emergency na kinakailangan palawigin ang capacity ay puwede naman
po nilang magamit iyong PhilHealth reimbursements,” he said.
President
Duterte advised government agencies not to be reluctant in spending their money
on essential goods and services amid the pandemic, noting, however, that to
avoid trouble, they should observe the guidelines on government procurements.
“Do
not be afraid to spend money because that is really intended to be spent. Kaya
nga natin nilalagay sa budget para gastusin. Huwag kayong matakot magastos.
Just follow rules,” he said. PND
