Transactions under CHAMP to undergo COA's pre-audit

CEBU, Philippines - All transactions made under the City Hospitalization Assistance and Medical Program must now undergo the pre-audit at the Commission on Audit, City Accountant Marietta Gumia said.

She said COA called her attention recently and questioned the city government over the ‘splitting of contract’ because the disbursement vouchers for payment to the participating pharmacies are broken down into several vouchers with amounts less than P2 million.

If the vouchers do not amount to P2 million and more, it does not necessarily have to undergo the pre-audit by COA.

But Gumia said that she told COA there is nothing to split because in the first place, there is no contract.

The city government has no agreement with the pharmacies for the dispense of a given amount or worth of drugs. The arrangement being followed is when the beneficiaries claim the medicines to the pharmacy, the pharmacy bills the city for the amount of medicines dispensed to the beneficiaries.

“But since this is the COA’s ruling, we have to follow. We will bundle the vouchers and send it to COA for pre-audit,” Gumia said.

The vouchers with lacking documents like the doctor’s prescriptions were suspended and sent back to CHAMP for compliance.

Gumia said she wants CHAMP to complete first all the requirements before the accounting office submits the bundled vouchers to COA for pre-audit.

She added if they can settle the suspensions at the accounting level, the process may be faster.

The city government still has over P20 million payables to the participating pharmacies of CHAMP.

The processing of the vouchers for payments was delayed at the accounting office because some vouchers lack the supporting documents.

Gumia said in most cases, the attachment missing is the doctor’s prescription.

COA is requiring for the doctor’s prescription which would tell what are the medicines needed by the patient which the patient may claim from the pharmacy.

The patient is not allowed to claim medicines that are not indicated in the prescription. Gumia said there are some cases where the prescription and the invoice match which is hard to justify to COA.  (FREEMAN)