CCMC sets measures to stop check fraud

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu City Medical Center Board of Directors has started implementing remedial measures to avoid the incident where 28 checks issued to CCMC by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. were lost to fraud last May.

CCMC chief Myrna Go already requested PhilHealth to furnish them a copy of the list of all checks issued to CCMC to double check if everything was accounted for and properly endorsed to the City Treasurers Office.

The information is expected to help in verifying the possible collusion among employees who might be found involved.

As of the moment, all checks from PhilHealth no longer reach the billing section headed by CCMC credit officer Lourdes Archua who is now serving her 30-day preventive suspension that started last Wednesday.

All checks from PhilHealth are delivered to the administrative office and stay there before being brought to the cashier who will issue the official receipt and endorse the checks to the CTO.

Previously, checks are delivered to the administrative office then to the billing section where it is recorded before it is brought to the cashier.

An official of CCMC said that now, they only send photocopies of checks to the billing section for recording purposes.

Cebu City councilor Ronald Cuenco said that he will discuss with the members of the CCMC board other new policies that they must implement at the CCMC to avoid another incident of fraud.

He said that though the city did not lose anything from the incident, they must be stricter this time when it comes to monetary transactions.

"As of now, naa gyud ta'y gitawag na system of double checking. Pero as of new procedure, wala pa na-discuss. We will delve into that during our next meeting," Cuenco said.

As of now, he has not found yet someone qualified and willing to replace Go as CCMC's chief of hospital.

Mayor Michael Rama instructed him to find a replacement for Go since she no longer want to be retained.

The investigating committee created by Rama to investigate the case has not convened yet because a member is currently on leave and will not be back until Wednesday. (THE FREEMAN)