House to investigate PhilHealth’s fund

Local

TO SHED light on the controversial fund of the Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth), lawmakers of the House of Representatives are set to investigate how the state-run health insurance provider managed their funds

Speaker Martin Romualdez said the House will conduct a “thorough and impartial investigation on how PhilHealth’s funds are being managed” by next year.

“The investigation is not about blame; it is about finding solutions. Our goal is clear: to ensure that every peso in PhilHealth’s coffers works for the benefit of the members,” Romualdez said during his closing message before the House went for Christmas break.

Lawmakers removed PhilHealth’s subsidy for next year, stating that the state-run health insurer has “more than enough” funds.

According to Romualdez, if the House investigation reveals that PhilHealth funds are really “underutilized” or that there is an excess of what is needed for the agency’s operations, the lawmakers will reduce the premium contributions and even expand the benefits for the members “until the vision of zero billing in all hospitals “ is achieved.

“If funds remain stable and in surplus, we will recommend a one-year suspension of premium payments for all paying members,” House Speaker Romualdez said.

According to the Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, PhilHealth still has billions of pesos in its coffers this year, on top of the P60 billion “excess” funds.

PhilHealth president and CEO Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. also informed lawmakers in the House that the agency still has P150 billion in surplus, an investment portfolio of about P489 billion as of October, and a P281 billion reserve fund.

Manila 3rd Rep. Joel Chua criticized PhilHealth, pointing out that its increasing reserve funds did not lift the burden of Filipino families with its health financial needs, but rather officials of PhilHealth “focused on the investment aspect to the detriment of health care which is now being sacrificed”.

He emphasized to PhilHealth officials that its focus should be the “health care benefits instead of investments”.

“Our investments here should be the lives of our people,” Chua said per a report by Philippine Star.(LAO)