Chiz questions PhilHealth’s P89.9 billion ‘excess fund’

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis Escudero questioned the excess P89.9-billion fund of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) despite its liabilities to hospitals, which have unpaid dues from the state insurer.

“The bigger question for me is: how did PhilHealth accumulate that amount when hospitals are complaining that they are not getting paid their dues by PhilHealth?” Escudero said in a dwIZ interview yesterday.

The Department of Finance has directed PhilHealth to return to the treasury P89.9-billion excess funds to be used for the government’s unprogrammed appropriations.

Medical groups have opposed this, saying it could have been used by PhilHealth to lower the contribution rate or to help indigent patients.

Escudero said the issue will be tackled in the upcoming deliberations on the proposed 2025 national budget.