PhilHealth President and CEO Dante Gierran said the state insurer will pay its outstanding balance to the Philippine Red Cross, its chief Dante Gierran said Friday, as he noted that there are some questionable provisions of the existing deal for COVID-19 tests.
“One thing is certain: may utang po ang PhilHealth sa Philippine Red Cross. We recognize the help of Philippine Red Cross to the government, particularly our brothers, victims that are to be tested for COVID,” Gierran said.
“One thing is sure also: we will pay for that, regardless of whether the DBM will assume a negative position on the matter… babayaran talaga ng PhilHealth ‘yan[PhilHealth will really pay for that],” he added.
The Philippine Red Cross previously announced that it has stopped accepting clients who want to undergo swab testing where the cost will be shouldered by PhilHealth after the agency accumulated a debt of nearly ₱931 million. The unpaid balances have hampered Red Cross operations, particularly its purchases of additional test kits and equipment.
Gierran also provided an explanation on the delay of reimbursements to Red Cross. Allegedly, his team found questionable items in the agency’s existing deal with PRC.
“We want to pay, only that we have to clear some legal issues affecting the memorandum of agreement that was entered into earlier between the management of PhilHealth and the Philippine Red Cross,” Gierran said.
