CCMC: PhilHealth sharing fair

CEBU, Philippines - Preempting his supposed appearance before the City Council next week to explain how the Cebu City Medical Center shared among its employees the PhilHealth revenue, hospital administrator Rey Cris Panugaling yesterday turned to the members of the media.

Panugaling said it is not true that the hospital management had been “unjust” in sharing the benefits to the employees. In fact, he said even those that are not supposed to be entitled to share the PhilHealth revenue were included in the sharing.

“PhilHealth sharing is the professional fees for doctors given in (exchange for) service. Basically it is for doctors. However in this government setting, we make it sure that everybody is a recipient of PhilHealth,” said Panugaling.

He explained that there were no guidelines about it so the management made its own. Panugaling said all department heads were asked to submit position papers which were made as basis in the drafting of the in-house guidelines for sharing.

It was agreed that 50 percent of the PhilHealth revenue goes to the medical personnel while the other half will be shared among the non-medical personnel, including janitors and security guards who were given a fixed rate of P500 per sharing.

Panugaling said that whoever complained about the sharing did not understand the scheme.

He said the administration only wanted to “level” the PhilHealth sharing scheme at the hospital based on the workload and responsibility. He explained that a rank-and-file employee works from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. only while hospital managers may work the whole day or even 24/7.

Some employees wrote a letter complaint addressed to the City Council questioning the alleged “unjust” sharing of the PhilHealth funds.

The complainants said the doctors are receiving P25,000 each, some division chiefs receive P25,000, TQM personnel at P5,000 each, senior nurse at P8,000 each, while the rank-and-file employees only get P2,000 each.

The City Council has summoned the CCMC officials to appear on February 10 during an executive session to explain the matter.

Panugaling said he is thankful that the City Council is giving them the opportunity to explain. —(FREEMAN)