MANILA – Malacañang said on Thursday that President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) President Dante Gierran to settle private hospital claims as soon as possible.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Duterte issued the directive after acknowledging that the government could not afford to lose private hospitals, especially amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
“Inulit ni Presidente ang kautusan niya kay Atty. Gierran, bayaran niya nang bayaran dahil sa panahon ng pandemya (The President reiterated his directive to Atty. Gierran to pay the hospitals’ claims because amid the pandemic), we cannot afford to lose the cooperation of the private hospitals,” Roque said.
Following PhilHealth’s decision to suspend reimbursement of claims to medical institutions under investigation for fraud, hospital groups have threatened to terminate connections with the state insurer.
According to Roque, Duterte has directed PhilHealth to handle the issue with private hospitals, which play an important role in the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic because they provide “60 percent to 70 percent” of health services.
PhilHealth has issued Circular 2021-0013, ordering the suspension of payment of claims of hospitals and healthcare institutions under investigation for “fraud, unethical conduct, and/or abuse of authority”.
Health professionals have stated that the issuance of PhilHealth’s circular is without basis and merely seeks to further postpone payment of claims.
Prioritizing front-liners
Meanwhile, Roque reaffirmed that Duterte’s first priority remains the welfare of medical front-liners in the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak.
Roque made the statement after the Alliance of Health Workers gave the Department of Health until Aug. 31 to provide the special risk allowance (SRA) and other health workers’ benefits before members protest.
“Sa mula’t mula po binibigyan ng prayoridad ng Presidente ang pagbibigay ng mga benepisyo para sa ating mga front-liners. So siya na po ang nagbigay ng taning (From the very start, the President is prioritizing the release of benefits for our front-liners. So he already set a deadline), no ifs, no buts. The SRAs and everything else that the health workers are entitled to should be released within 10 days,” he said.
The Department of Health (DOH) said on Thursday that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) had downloaded to its Centers for Health Development (CHDs) the special allotment release order for PHP311 million in Special Risk Allowance (SRA) for health care workers.
A total of 20,208 healthcare workers will benefit from the fund.
The funds transferred to the CHDs would be given to their respective local government units (LGUs) and private health facilities in the coming days, according to the DOH.
The release is the first batch of fund transfers for the grant of SRA to hospitals and health facilities that have previously submitted an additional list of eligible medical workers.
Medical front-liners are entitled to receive SRA and hazard compensation under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act (Bayanihan 2), in addition to their regular benefits under existing laws.
Duterte enacted Administrative Order (AO) 42 on June 1 of this year, granting SRA of up to PHP5,000 per month to private and public health workers who have direct exposure to Covid-19 patients.
