House panels to PhilHealth: Withdraw policy for suspected, probable COVID cases

Photo from Radyo Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — Two panels in the House of Representatives strongly urged the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to withdraw their policy on the inclusion of suspected and probable cases in its COVID-19 packages.

The House committee on public accounts and the committee on good government and public accounts approved a motion recommending to PhilHealth the suspension of the application of COVID-19 case rates under suspected and probable cases.

It was Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo who floated this idea.

“Baka pwede na rin naming i-suspend ang mag-apply ng COVID-case rates for suspected or probable patients. Sa aking pagkakaalam, dahil wala na ring backlog sa testing, ayon sa DOH, by the time ma-discharge ang isang patient, and upon discharge ibawas ang PhilHealth reimbursements, dapat wala nang suspect or probable kasi nakalabas na ang test results by that time,” Quimbo said.

(Maybe we can suspend the application of COVID-19 case rates for suspected or probable patients. To my knowledge, according to the DOH, there is no backlog in testing so by the time the patient is discharged, there should be no suspect or probable cases because the test results are out by that time.)

“So hindi na dapat ia-allow ng PhilHealth ang pag-reimburse ng cases para sa suspected [and probable],” she added.

(So PhilHealth should not allow the reimbursement of cases for suspected and probable cases.)

Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor, who chairs the committee on public accounts, later formally made the motion to “strongly urge PhilHealth to withdraw the policy for suspected and probable COVID cases as part of their circular and resolution approved by the board.”

The motion was approved.

Asked for his reaction to the motion, PhilHealth senior vice president for health finance policy sector Israel Francis Pargas said the COVID packages are currently under review.

“Technically under review naman nga siya para ma-check ‘yung kasama yung suspect and probable kasi nung una kasama nga siya,” he said.

PhilHealth is currently facing a probe before the House of Representatives over the alleged anomalies hounding the agency.

JPV