The government’s state insurance Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Thursday urged the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) president Dr. Jose Rene de Grano to tell the issues of the group so that PhilHealth can resolve them.
“He has to tell us exactly what his issues are,” said Dr. Shirley Domingo, spokesperson of state insurer PhilHealth, hours after the latter said their group will push through with a “PhilHealth holiday” either January or February next year.
The PHAPI had earlier said it was encouraging its members to decline PhilHealth deductions for their services on January 1 to 5, 2022, in support of seven Iloilo hospitals that severed ties with the state insurer over P895 million in unpaid claims.
The group has since put its planned “PhilHealth Holiday” on hold, citing citizens’ and patient groups’ requests to be “informed well and advised on what to do during the holiday.”
“I hope he (De Grano) tells us exactly what else we have to discuss, para (so) we can sit on the table again, and find out what we can do regarding their issues,” Domingo told ABS-CBN News in a phone interview.
Before his announcement, De Grano had a meeting with PhilHealth officials regarding concerns of private hospitals, according to Domingo.
During that meeting, she said PhilHealth presented its proposed reforms, which include improving their IT system for the processing of claims, streamlining of processes, formulating an improved Debit-Credit Payment Mechanism, and increasing the number of personnel attending to hospital claims.
PhilHealth, however, only learned of the suspension of the “PhilHealth Holiday” through the media, said Domingo. De Grano has yet to inform them of their next meeting date, she said.
PhilHealth’s regional offices are now also in communication with private hospitals, Domingo said.
Meanwhile, PhilHealth continues negotiations with the seven Iloilo-based hospitals and the Far Eastern University–Dr. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation (FEU-NRMF) in Quezon City, which already announced their “disengagement” from PhilHealth, said Domingo.