Intellicare, a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) provider, said that it is currently in negotiations with network providers, as prices of laboratory tests and admission rates may increase due to oil price hikes.
“We already have news that there are certain increases in their laboratory or admission rates,” Intellicare Medical Group Officer Kristine Nimo-Alfonso told BusinessWorld in an interview.
“We are trying to negotiate with them if they can give us the leeway first before adding those up,” she added. “We are still trying to get their discounted rates and packages that will be sustainable for our system.”
Imaging tests and emergency room (ER) admissions are among the hospital procedures that may increase charges.
“They are saying it’s because of the medical inflation,” Ms. Nimo-Alfonso said. “For the ER admission, I think it’s because of the medical supplies that are now being used, because of the new modalities that are being used.”
According to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), the average hospital confinement among Filipinos is 5.18 days, while the average cost of inpatient care in the country reaches P82,335.
Of which, PIDS said that hospital bills are approximately priced at P68,370.64, P6,848.25 for medicine, and P7,116.56 for laboratory tests beyond hospital admission.
“This highlights the financial burden that health expenses continue to place on Filipino households, despite ongoing efforts toward universal health coverage,” the agency said.
“Strengthening health financing reforms and improving benefit packages are crucial to ensure that healthcare services remain affordable and accessible, and to prevent families from falling into financial hardship,” it added.
Apart from the additional hike in hospital fees, Intellicare has also linked the rising pump prices to its 10% to 15% increase in telemedicine consultations in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao.
“Before we only saw one to 30 patients per day but during and after the pandemic, it rose to around 1,300 per day,” Ms. Nimo-Alfonso said.
“When oil price hikes came out, we were able to see an increase in telemedicine consultations because people don’t want to go out of their homes already,” she added.
Intellicare has over 43,500 affiliated doctors and specialists in its nationwide network. — Almira Louise S. Martinez
