The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. owes the Philippine Red Cross about P822 million for COVID-19 tests, PRC chairman Senator Richard Gordon said.
"Its debt has now reached P822 million. They pay on installment basis, but daily dues outpace payment releases, debts keep piling up,” the senator said.
And some hospitals had not yet received their payments from PhilHealth since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, the president of the Philippine Hospital Association said Sunday.
PHA President Jaime Almora told Dobol B TV that some hospitals were planning to apply for loans since they had yet to receive payments from the agency.
"They have no money anymore, even the big hospitals. I talked to their medical directors and they are looking at borrowing money because since the pandemic started, they have yet to collect money from PhilHealth,” Almora said.
In October, the PRC stopped conducting COVID-19 tests chargeable to PhilHealth after the latter failed to settle its outstanding balance of nearly P1 billion.
The PRC had since resumed testing after PhilHealth settled half of its balance.
Gordon said PhilHealth was not being prompt in its payments to the PRC.
He said PhilHealth had earlier vowed to pay P200 million per week, but it failed to keep its promise.
He said the PRC needed the funds to be able to compensate their medical technologists, procure supplies and build facilities.
He suspects that an entity may benefit in case the PRC stops its COVID-19 testing efforts.
"Sometimes I can't help but suspect they are protecting an entity or somebody, and if the PRC stops the tests due to lack of funds it will make a profit,” he said.
"We don't want to stop conducting tests. But when we do, you know why,” Gordon said.
He says if PhilHealth will not pay up, then the PRC might as well stop conducting COVID-19 tests chargeable to the state health insurer.
"I'm not asking them to pay right way, but we should be able to keep up with our expenses so we can pay for our Medtechs. The government should help us,” he said.
