PhilHealth urged to use reserve fund

MANILA, Philippines - Senate committee on finance chairman Franklin Drilon yesterday urged officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to tap its P90-billion reserve fund to settle claims by hospitals.

During a hearing on the budget of the Department of Health earlier this week, Drilon stressed that his office has received reports on the slow pace of PhilHealth’s settling claims by hospitals.

PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Rey Aquino said outstanding claims stood at P1.4 billion.

Drilon said there is no reason why PhilHealth should hold on to an estimated P90.7 billion in reserve funds when the law only requires around P30 billion.

He said PhilHealth should use its reserve fund to reduce premiums, increase benefits, and finance coverage expansion for the poorest.

He added that PhilHealth could accomplish these even without raising the premiums paid by its members by merely tapping its huge reserve fund.

Drilon said he had requested for a separate hearing on the PhilHealth budget to discuss the debts with hospitals.

“We have required a separate presentation by PhilHealth because we have received a lot of reports about the very, very slow pace at which PhilHealth services claims by hospitals,” Drilon said.