Health care system is really important in one’s country. It protects and helps
people from unexpected events such as reducing high medical costs. When one is
insured, he or she may receive the best medical care without any strain in the finances.
It all sounds good but does the health care system in the Philippines can really be trusted
by its countrymen when issues always arise? Over a decade, Philippine Health Insurance
Corporation is consistently dealing with ghost claims, upcasing, overpayments, fraud
cases relating to pneumonia, cataract, dialysis patients, and many more resulting to a
total loss of 154 billion pesos. The latest fraudulent case of PhilHealth, happened last July
24, 2020, when anti-fraud legal officer Thorsson Montes Keith resigned due to rampant
corruption and anomalies within the agency. He revealed that the PhilHealth executives
stole a total of 15 billion pesos. This covered the unauthorized release of interim
reimbursement mechanism (IRM) or funds allocated for fortuitous events to hospitals who
have not yet recorded COVID-19 cases such as the B Braun Avitum. The amount also
included the overpriced test kits and information technology systems the agency
proposed to purchase. Thorsson also said that the mafias of the “crime of the year” are
the senior vice presidents. On the last Senate Hearing, Senator Panfilo Lacson mentioned
the cases that will be charged to the 36 PhilHealth officials involved are Reclusion
Perpetua, Graft, Malversation of Public Funds, Perjury, and Plunder. As of August 26,
2020, president Ricardo Morales and Senior Vice President for Legal Sector Rodolfo del
Rosario Jr already resigned due to health reasons, they said.
Source:
Ramos, Marlon (2020, August 05). P15 billion went to PhilHealth ‘syndicate’ – whistleblower. Retrieved
from
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1316858/whistleblower-p-15b-went-to-philhealthsyndicate#ixzz6WOcNuETG
I think the main problem with the issue is the officials administrating the agency. Fraudulent cases are
happening every year because according to Mr. Keith, syndicates or mafias are being elected in the
higher positions by their accomplice to help them continue their illegal activities. This issue still has a
long way to go but as a citizen, I am hoping for the funds lost to be returned because it belongs to the
innocent people. We cannot predict the future of the PhilHealth if it will sill run in the future, or if it will
be reorganized from top-to-bottom, but at least there is a progress because those involved will surely be
held accountable and justice will be served.