Lacson wants Senate to probe PhilHealth when 18th Congress opens
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Panfilo Lacson said on Wednesday he will initiate a Senate investigation into the controversies surrounding the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) when the 18th Congress opens on July 22.
“When the 18th Congres opens, most probably I will,” Lacson said in a Kapihan sa Senado forum when asked if he will have a probe on the PhilHealth controversies.
Aside from the “ghost dialysis” scam earlier exposed in a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the senator said he learned of other schemes conducted by PhilHealth.
One of which is the “extension of confinement” of patients who were already discharged by the hospitals.
“‘Yung hospital mismo na in cahoots with PhilHealth, nagbibigay ng report na extending confinement of patients na nadischarge na para lang makakolekta sa PhilHealth,” Lacson said.
He cited the case of a hospital in Cebu which was suspended after PhilHealth found it liable on two complaints of unauthorized extension of confinement. However, Lacson noted that the PhilHealth rescinded its ruling even though the Court of Appeals (CA) upheld its decision.
“Hindi naman kailangan na maging lawyers tayo para malaman yung hierarchy of courts dahil a lower court cannot reverse a CA decision, which in this case they themselves initiated kasi resolution nila na inupheld ng CA,” the senator said.
“Noong bumalik sa kanila ni-reverse nila for humanitarian reason,” he added.
Lacson said the case is recent since the decision of the CA only came out January this year.
The senator said the information that is currently in his possession is “barely scratching the surface” as other information are still coming in.
“These are bits and pieces of information that are coming out that would really tell us, aside from those being published in the papers, ang dami pa talagang dumadating na mga information kaya umabot ng P200 billion over time ang na-squander na pondo ng PhilHealth,” the senator said.
“I think we’re barely scratching the surface because it is our obligation as public officials, as elected senators, to get to the bottom of any corrupt act,” Lacson added. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)
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