PhilHealth hopes to avert hospital disengagements

MANILA, Philippines — State-run health insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp. yesterday expressed hope that its payment method for reimbursement could stop a plan of six private hospitals in Iloilo to disengage from PhilHealth.

Shirley Domingo, spokesperson for Philhealth, said the state health insurer is hopeful that its Debit-Credit Payment Method (DCPM) would help change the minds of the hospital administrators.

The DCPM provides for the fast release of funds to qualified hospitals nationwide while their reimbursement claims are still under process, Domingo said.

“Iloilo hospitals were qualified to avail themselves of this mechanism since they started experiencing a surge in COVID cases. With the welfare of our members as a top priority, we hope to avert the situation through the DCPM and continuous dialogues,” Domingo said in a text message to The STAR.

On Saturday, the Iloilo Doctors’ Hospital, Iloilo Mission Hospital, Medicus Medical Center, Metro Iloilo Hospital and Medical Center Inc., Qualimed Hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital and The Medical City said they would not renew their accreditations with PhilHealth starting next year.

The hospitals cited the unpaid reimbursement claims amounting to P545 million as of Aug. 31 as the reason for their plan to disengage from the health insurer.

Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. president Jose Rene de Grano said more hospitals in Luzon and Midanao are expected to follow the plan of the six hospitals.

Domingo said that PhilHealth has released P11.04 billion through the DCPM mechanism in two waves. More funds are expected in the third wave.

“The DCPM is not a loan. Hospitals were oriented on this. Provisions on this are embodied in a circular that we published in a major newspaper and on our website,” Domingo said.