SPEAKER Martin Romualdez yesterday said the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) should bear more of the costs of hospitalization, including medical bills and doctors’ fees, incurred by patients admitted in private hospitals.
He said the patients’ appeal is for PhilHealth to shoulder half of the medical expenses so that members will just pay the other half.
Dr. Jose Degrano, president of the Private Hospital Association of the Philippines, agreed with the Speaker, saying increasing PhilHealth’s share in the bill would help a lot of patients.
Romualdez said he wants to meet with officials of PhilHealth and the Department of Health to draw up a plan on how to expand members’ benefits, which includes increasing the share of the latter in paying for private hospital admissions.
“Marami ang nagtatanong sa atin kung puwedeng dagdagan ang sasagutin ng PhilHealth sa billing at doctors’ fees kapag private ang kinuha na kuwarto o sa pay ward (Many have been asking us if we could increase PhilHealth’s share in billing and doctors’ fees if the room is private or pay ward),” the Speaker said in a statement.
“We’ll find solutions to address the request of the people without resorting to legislation which takes a long time,” he added.
Romualdez said the chief complaint of patients, especially the indigent ones, is that PhilHealth is shouldering only 15 to 20 percent of bills in hospitals and private medical institutions, especially if they are admitted in private wards.
In terms of professional fees of physicians and medical specialists, the Speaker said he received complains that PhilHealth subsidizes only 30 percent for private hospital patients.
“Not all who are admitted in hospitals get free or charity wards. Charity beds run out quickly,” he said.
Romualdez said he wants to talk to the concerned officials to check the exact benefits being received by members confined in private hospitals.
