Palace cites inaccuracies in delayed PhilHealth reimbursements

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang pointed out inaccuracies on allegations of delayed reimbursements by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

In an interview over dzRB, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte clarified allegations by Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines President Rustico Jimenez that it is taking six months for PhilHealth to pay hospitals for their services to PhilHealth members.

Jimenez had claimed the delay is forcing patients to shell out money to cover PhilHealth’s share in the hospital bills, which can only be reimbursed directly to PhilHealth.

Valte said contrary to Jimenez’s claim that P15 million was unpaid in San Juan De Dios Hospital in Pasay city, PhilHealth had no backlog in the hospital.

PhilHealth, in fact, paid 1,712 claims equivalent to P26.72 million in the hospital, she added.

Also, contrary to Jimenez’s allegations that there were P15 million unpaid claims in Calamba Doctors Hospital, only P6 million in claims were recorded and were returned to the hospital due to incomplete documents, Valte said.

Another inaccurate allegation involved Western Visayas Medical Center where P13 million in claims were supposedly unpaid, but in fact there was no backlog in the hospital, Valte added.

“Doon ho sa ibang mga ospital na binanggit niya ay hindi ho accurate ‘yung mga ina-alleged na unpaid claims daw po (Allegations on unpaid claims were not accurate in some hospitals). So at least, we’re putting this out for a matter of records,” Valte said.

Malacañang had said the delay in reimbursements was due to PhilHealth’s new case-based payment system.

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