De Lima seeks probe on PhilHealth’s P4.7-B net loss

Senator Leila De Lima has sought an investigation into PhilHealth’s P4.75-billion net loss in 2017 as reported by the Commission on Audit (COA).

De Lima has filed Senate Resolution No. 840, directing appropriate committees in the upper chamber to look into PhilHealth’s net loss, which, according to the legislator, significantly affects the agency’s sustainability to fulfill its mandate.

“There is a need to determine the root cause of the incurred losses as well as the possible accountability of the PhilHealth leadership,” De Lima said in a statement issued Friday.

De Lima added PhilHealth also failed to avail of the government’s P37.06-billion allocation for indigents’ premium contribution in 2017.

The senator said this fund was supposed to be PhilHealth’s third major source of income during that year.

Further, De Lima pointed out that PhilHealth’s net loss also affects funds for the National Health Insurance Program, which covers part of its beneficiaries’ medical expenses after paying a premium for a period of time.

She then suggested that a plan towards financial stability in the agency must be institutionalized to make sure that it could sufficiently address the needs of its members in the future. /kga