Senate inquiry sought on PhilHealth’s P4.75B loss

SENATOR Leila M. De Lima has filed a resolution seeking an investigation into the P4.75 billion net loss of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in 2017 as reported by the Commission on Audit (CoA).
Filed last Aug. 14, Senate Resolution No. 840 directed the Senate committees on health and demography, chaired by Senator Joseph Victor G. Ejercito, and on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, chaired by Ms. De Lima, to conduct the inquiry.
According to the 2017 CoA report, PhilHealth has registered a negative P3.905 gross margin from operations, resulting in operating losses worth P10.489 billion.
It also showed the health insurance agency failed to avail itself of the government’s P37.06 billion allocation for indigents’ premium contribution.
The audit government agency raised concerns over the P4.75 billion net loss, noting that it may adversely affect the implementation of projects and the actuarial life of PhilHealth.
Ms. De Lima said there was a need to determine the root cuase of the incurred losses and look into the possibility of the PhilHealth leadership.
“The fiscal solvency of PhilHealth is paramount for the meaningful implementation of the National Health Insurance Program and the government’s objective of progressively providing a universal health program for all Filipinos,” Ms. de Lima said.
“Hence, financial deficits and continued profit loss shall significantly affect the National Health Insurance Fund and reserve fund,” she added. — Charmaine A. Tadalan