Medical groups: Return unused PhilHealth funds

MANILA, Philippines — More than 35 medical groups are urging President Marcos to order the return of the full amount of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth)’s unused funds so it can be used for the health needs of indigents.

“President Marcos (should) immediately issue a directive to return the entirety of the P89.9 billion in unused funds to PhilHealth, to be used for individual health care needs of the poor,” the groups said yesterday in a statement.

The Philippine Medical Association said Marcos should institute measures to ensure the immediate enhancement of health benefits and form an independent agency to do this, if necessary.

In April, the Department of Finance (DOF) released a circular mandating government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) to remit their excess funds to the national coffers.

The DOF ordered PhilHealth to remit P89.9 billion in excess funds to the unprogrammed appropriations of the General Appropriations Act.

Doctors from the Asia Pacific Center for Evidence-Based Healthcare and Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) expressed alarm over the possible impact of the transfer of the fund, which is intended for the delivery of health services, especially to poor PhilHealth members.

They said the transfer of the unused PhilHealth funds is against Section 11 of Republic Act 11223, or the Universal Health Care Act, and is tantamount to taking away people’s money.

The law states that excess in the PhilHealth reserve funds should be used to increase the program’s benefits and decrease the amount of the members’ contributions.

It said no portion of the reserve fund or income should accrue to the general fund of the national government, or to any of its agencies or instrumentalities, including GOCCs.

The groups said that PhilHealth has underspent because it has not sufficiently expanded its benefit packages.

“There is still a huge unmet need for healthcare in the Philippines,” they said in a statement.

Former PCP president Maricar Limpin said they are not amenable to the transfer of the PhilHealth funds as it is intended to cover for the hospital expenses of its sick members.

The Department of Health (DOH) said it is supportive of the groups’ concern.

“The DOH agrees with civil society organizations and people who say that health funds should be used for health purposes,” Health Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said.

He said such funds should not be invested or kept in the bank.

“As we understand it, and as stated by the Department of Finance, the unused government subsidy taken from PhilHealth was used to fund the COVID-19 Health Emergency Allowance for our healthcare workers,” Domingo said. The DOH said the decision of the PhilHealth board was done upon the request of PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Ledesma Jr.

It said the DOH secretary is a non-voting chair of the board.

Concerned groups and individuals are expected to challenge the government’s move on this matter.

HEA distribution starts

Meanwhile, regional offices of the DOH have started distributing the remaining P27 billion in health emergency allowance to public and private health facilities.

This developed after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released to the DOH a notice of cash availability intended for the health emergency allowance.

“The DOH has received the notice of cash availability from the DBM. The Center for Health Development (CHD) has been disbursing the funds to local government units and private health facilities under its jurisdiction,” Domingo said in a Viber message to The STAR.