Regulating body for HMOs sought

MANILA, Philippines - A lawmaker has called for the creation of a government body to regulate dozens of health maintenance organizations (HMOs).

In House Bill 6025, Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo proposes the creation of the independent Health Management Organizations Regulatory Commission to exercise control, supervision, and authority over HMOs nationwide.

Castelo said except for a “clearance to operate” issued by the Department of Health, HMOs have been largely unregulated.

 “There must be a regulatory commission to take charge of the multifaceted problems that now plague this industry as the ones that serve as medical services providers in the broad sense of the term,” he said.

Castelo said the proposed regulatory commission could address cardholders’ “many humiliating experiences,” which have been largely the result of the lack of regulatory mechanism for HMOs.

The commission would initially assume the accreditation system that the DOH exercises and adopt the rules and regulations on the supervision of HMOs, he added.

Castelo said after two years of transition, the commission would evolve as “independent in its overall administrative and operational functions as the proper regulatory agency.”

After the transition, the commission would issue new sets of supervisory and regulatory guidelines to implement the measure, he added.