23 Disyembre,2024 Lunes
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ABS 2025
1 yr suspension of PhilHealth contribution
By Nidz Godino
“Next year, House will conduct thorough and impartial investigation on how PhilHealth’s funds are being managed… investigation is not about blame; it is about finding solutions,” Speaker Martin Romualdez said in his closing remarks before Congress went on holiday break House of Representatives will conduct investigation on how state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. has been managing its funds after billions of pesos in supposedly “excess” PhilHealth funds were discovered.
Romualdez assured public that probe “will ensure that every peso in PhilHealth’s coffers works for benefit of its members , hardworking Filipino people who contribute month after month.”
He hinted that once “underutilization” of PhilHealth funds is established, or are “in excess of what is needed for current operations,” they will move for one-year suspension of members’ contributions, reduction of premium contributions and expansion of benefits until “zero billing” is reached.
Last week, members of the House committee on good government and public accountability said that on top of P60 billion in “excess” funds that were impounded and sent to national treasury, PhilHealth has billions of pesos in its coffers before year 2024 ends.
PhilHealth president and CEO Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. told lawmakers, led by panel chairman Manila 3rd Rep. Joel Chua, that they still have P150 billion in surplus, P281 billion in reserves and investment portfolio nearing P489 billion as of October.
PhilHealth’s chief financial officer Renato Limsiaco admitted to Chua that surplus funds, after covering benefit payments, are directed into investments.
“Once we’re done and OK, once we already paid benefits, then the excess money will be used for investments,” he explained.
House leaders have criticized PhilHealth for prioritizing investments over health care services of more than 110 million Filipinos and called for immediate premium reductions and reforms to benefit its millions of members.
Criticisms emerged in last week’s hearing in Chua committee, where lawmakers scrutinized PhilHealth’s ballooning funds, prompting Congress to propose zero subsidy for the agency under P6.35-trillion national budget for 2025.
For his part, Ledesma cited PhilHealth’s financial stability and announced plans for 50-percent increase in coverage for most case rate packages.
Representatives lamented that despite impressive figures showing PhilHealth’s financial stability, health insurer’s growing reserves and investments have not translated into significant relief for Filipino families burdened with rising health care costs.
“This simply means that subsidy government gives for purpose of improving health care have been diverted and used for investment purposes and not for health care, it seems that you’re more focused on investment aspect to detriment of health care which is now being sacrificed…focus on health care benefits instead of investments…our investments here should be lives of our people,” Chua said.
ISKUP! 