PhilHealth Suspends List-Up Of Partners

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has temporarily suspended all onsite membership registration and card issuance activities of its private partners.

In a press statement issued Monday, PhilHealth President and CEO Dr. Eduardo P. Banzon revealed that the suspension, which was “effective immediately, was made so that PhilHealth can review its “terms of engagement” with the partners.

“We are calling for a temporary suspension of all onsite registration activities being undertaken by our partners until such time that all compliance issues regarding our partners operations are addressed,” he said.

Banzon noted that off-site, stationary registration and card issuance through private partners SM Retail, Inc, and CIS Bayad Center will continue.

He stressed the need to revisit the operational guidelines especially where the standard procedures and fees for the issuance of the PhilHealth cards are concerned. “We have been receiving reports from the field on various misconceptions about the card, the personnel facilitating its issuance, and the incentives that come with it, that is why we want to go back to the drawing board and assess how this partnership with the private sector is proceeding,” he said.

Last September, PhilHealth tapped the private sector to help in expanding the registration and payment outlets and bring in new members, particularly those who have the means to pay for their own premium, into the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP), under the Department of Health’s agenda of Kalusugan Pangkalahatan or Universal Health Care.

Through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme, PhilHealth hopes to convince more people to be part of PhilHealth.

Under this initiative, all PhilHealth members are entitled to discounts for medicines and other health services from leading private pharmaceutical companies.

However, while, the partnership was at no cost to PhilHealth, the private registration partners were allowed to charge fees. “It was deemed reasonable and fair. However, we are reviewing the rules of engagement to ensure that our agreements are followed and the services to our members improved,” Banzon said.

Banzon assured its partners that they are fast-tracking the revision of the guidelines to come up with improved guidelines soon.

He is also hopeful that with the enhanced guidelines, more PPP partners will join PhilHealth in accordance with the National Health Insurance Law, which calls for universal coverage in three years.

By SARAH HILOMEN-VELASCO

mb.com.ph

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