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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 4) – The embattled Philippine Health Insurance Corporation denied on Friday that it had settled for giving away more than $ 600 million to hospitals with claims that were previously denied due to late filing.
“The possibility of these claims being considered for payment under an amnesty program is still subject to the issuance of a resolution signed by the Board, as well as specific guidelines thereafter,” said the executive vice president and chief operating officer. , Arnel De Jesus in a statement. “All of these have yet to be done and therefore there is no release of funds to speak of.”
He added that PhilHealth will send documents to Congress to support his statement.
Surigao Del Norte’s representative, Ace Barbers, raised the issue in a hearing Wednesday on alleged anomalies at the state health insurer. Barbers said that some hospitals from 2011 to 2019 were denied payment of benefit claims due to late filing, amounting to nearly $ 4 billion, but on May 14 of this year, the PhilHealth board approved granting them a $ 600 million amnesty.
“Because there seems to be pandemic and needed by financial security to capacity HCIs to make it worth your while“he told lawmakers.
[Translation: They said it was because there is a pandemic and healthcare institutions need financial security and capability, that is why they needed to pay them.]PhilHealth’s corporate secretary, Jonathan Mangaoang, confirmed during the session that there was a proposal for such a deal.
Previously, the same issue was discussed in the Senate investigation. Senate President Tito Sotto raised the matter again Tuesday to note that PhilHealth officials were unable to say how many times the board had granted amnesty in the past.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department said it will conclude its hearings on the PhilHealth irregularities next week with its report deadline set for Sept. 14. The National Investigation Office, the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, the Anti-Money Laundering Council and the Audit Commission will also try to conclude their investigations, said Secretary of Justice Menardo Guevarra.
Sotto had recently filed recommendations for corruption charges against PhilHealth executives, including President and Health Secretary Francisco Duque and former President Ricardo Morales, for multiple cases of alleged fraud at the agency.
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