PhilHealth on probes: We have nothing to hide

MANILA, Philippines — Plagued by allegations of irregularities, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) yesterday said it is open to separate investigations announced by Malacañang and the Senate since it has “nothing to hide.”

“(We) have nothing to hide. PhilHealth is ready to face investigations to be mounted by the Senate and Office of the Special Assistant to the President to answer alleged corruption issues raised by a resigned job order contractor,” PhilHealth posted in its Twitter account.

PhilHealth said “allegations not substantiated by evidence are hearsay and outright malicious.”

The agency was referring to lawyer Thorrsson Montes Keith who resigned Thursday night, citing as reason “widespread corruption in PhilHealth” and “rampant and patent unfairness in the promotion process.”

In his resignation letter addressed to PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales, Keith described himself as an “anti-fraud legal officer.” But Mercado emphasized that such position does not exist.

Morales said Keith could have been “vengeful” for not being given a position he was “not qualified” to have.

He noted that Keith, whom he described as a “contractual employee,” may have resented not getting the position of head executive assistant after Estrobal Laborte resigned in mid-July to pursue doctoral studies.

Morales added that Keith should have come forward and revealed the corruption activities at PhilHealth if he has evidence.

On Friday, presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said President Duterte has directed Undersecretary Jesus Melchor Quitain, of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President, to investigate PhilHealth.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the chamber should convene as committee of the whole to investigate PhilHealth.

With the PhilHealth controversy having become “too complicated,” Sotto said it would take more than one or two committees to get to the bottom of the issues plaguing the state-run health insurer.

“The problem is too complicated. With the hands of the committee on health or the committee on Blue Ribbon already full, we might not be able to see what should be exposed if only one committee and only a few (senators) will participate in a probe,” Sotto said in Filipino over radio dwIZ.

He said a majority of the senators are also convinced only a committee of the whole would be able to cover all the issues surrounding the alleged corruption in PhilHealth.

Sotto said he is saddened that issues of corruption have emerged even as the country is struggling to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

While government officials are supposed to be busy looking for solutions to the raging health crisis, Sotto said senators have to look into allegations of anomalies involving taxpayers’ money.

While teleconferencing is an option, Sotto said he prefers to have the hearing done face-to-face so they can personally see the demeanor and body language of the resource persons.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said corruption in PhilHealth seems to have become the rule rather than the exception.

“The resolution that we are filing on Monday and the ensuing committee of the qhole inquiry will show you how even the COVID-19 crisis has created more opportunities for systemic corruption in PhilHealth to flourish,” Lacson said.

Citing an example, Lacson said the newly instituted Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM) purportedly meant to support the national government’s response to the COVID-19 threat also gives PhilHealth the authority to provide special privilege in the form of substantial aid to “eligible” health care institutions (HCIs).

“This new malevolent scheme led to the release of hundreds of millions of pesos in record time of one or two weeks, to a few unaccredited hospitals that register only one COVID-19 patient,” Lacson pointed out.

“That and other mind-blowing controversies will be the focus of the Senate inquiry in the coming days when Congress resumes our second regular session. As long as the responsible officials are not made accountable for their misdeeds, PhilHealth will continue to bleed dry, thus running the risk of becoming bankrupt sooner than we think,” Lacson said.

Sotto and Lacson also expressed disappointment over Morales’ denial of the alleged shouting match online among PhilHealth officials.

“In a radio interview, Morales said there is no such thing as an anti-fraud officer in PhilHealth. He also said he was not in the Zoom meeting. What does it mean when you lie to media, blatantly?” Sotto asked.

Lacson described as mind-blowing the latest reported anomaly in PhilHealth.

“They are fond of fabricating new schemes. They have the IRM that is supposedly meant to support the national government program to address COVID-19,” Lacson said in Filipino.

“In fact, in two regions for five hospitals – three hospitals in Region 5 and two hospitals in Region 8 – PhilHealth released P247 million and P196 million, accumulated. But those hospitals were unaccredited,” Lacson said.

“In fact, only two regions and five hospitals were involved – I think, three in Region 5 and two in Region 8. Accumulated amounts of P247 million and P196 million had been released. On record, the hospitals were unaccredited,” he said.

Lacson pointed out that many hospitals overcrowding with COVID-19 patients were complaining that PhilHealth was not paying them.