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A Department of Health (DOH) official admitted Thursday that the government’s testing capacity has suffered as the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) remain at a standstill. for unpaid bills.
“Yes, we were affected by the cessation of the operations of the Philippine Red Cross,” admitted Undersecretary of Health, María Rosario Vergeire, in an online media forum. He also added that other labs are experiencing a testing bottleneck of returning Filipino Overseas Workers (OFW).
“We recognize that fact. We do not deny that the contribution of the Philippine Red Cross has affected the daily production of our laboratories, said that most of the large laboratories throughout the country are owned by the People’s Republic of China. He previously said that when they tried to analyze all the results the labs are generating, almost 40 percent came from the People’s Republic of China.
Vergeire said they currently send samples to the largest government laboratories in the country.
He added that there were also private labs that wanted to help DOH.
He added that DOH is currently coordinating with the following laboratories to include them in the zoning to avoid delays in laboratory operations:
These are Biopath Clinical Diagnostics Inc. in Makati, E. Rodríguez, Cebu, AFRIMS, Macacare Medical Inc., First Aide Diagnostic Center, Detoxicare Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Philippine Airport Diagnostic Laboratory, The Lord’s Grace Medical and Industrial Clinic.
The People’s Republic of China continues to face challenges with PhilHealth due to its inability to clear its payment, the People’s Republic of China said, and is obligated to stop testing by PhilHealth as of October 14, 2020.
“As a result, the total billing sent by the PRC to PhilHealth amounts to P1,014,975,500.00 as of October 13, 2020. Of this amount, P930,993,000.00 represents amounts past due,” the PRC said in a statement.
The People’s Republic of China said it will no longer accept samples for the following PhilHealth-funded tests:
- OFWs
- those arriving at airports and seaports
- Individuals through mega swabbing facilities and through local government units
- Frontline health and government workers
- Others included in the Department of Health’s expanded testing guidelines as per its Department Memorandum No. 2020-0258-A dated July 6, 2020 covered by PhilHealth.
