Latest news with #MedicalAssistanceforIndigentandFinanciallyIncapacitatedPatients
GMA Network
5 days ago
- Health
- GMA Network
De Lima seeks probe into PhilHealth's unpaid hospital claims
A congressional investigation into the unpaid Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth) claims in several private hospitals has been proposed in the House of Representatives. Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Representative Leila de Lima made the call under her House Resolution 46 amid the decision of some private hospitals to refuse honoring guarantee letters funded under the Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program. The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) earlier reported that 43 hospitals in Batangas have been awaiting payment for claims amounting to over P530 million, including one with receivables as high as P94 million. 'This has been a perennial issue that should urgently be addressed once and for all. It burdens patients and their families with additional fear if they could get assistance from the government in medical expenses,' de Lima said. 'Nangangamba na sila sa sakit, nangangamba pa sila sa mataas na gastusin sa ospital. Filipinos' right to access urgent medical care should not be denied just because they cannot afford to pay hospital bills, or because of the lack of trust of private hospitals that the government will pay them,' she added. (The patients and their families are already fearing the high cost of medical bills.) De Lima then urged the government to provide and implement clear mechanisms, including speedy and inexpensive remedies, to promptly settle unpaid claims in hospitals that affect their ability to render quality and efficient healthcare services to prevent closures and instances of hospitals stopping to accept guarantee letters from indigent patients. The inquiry, de Lima said, will cover the existing government policies regarding payment of unsettled hospital bills and identify any gaps that cause delay in payment to expeditiously address them. 'These unpaid debts affect hospitals' financial stability and operating expenses, including salaries for healthcare professionals and staff. Nakakabahala ito dahil apektado nito ang kanilang operasyon at serbisyo. Paano natin matutupad ang layunin ng Universal Health Care Law kung paulit-ulit na lang ang ganitong problema?' De Lima said. (This situation is already alarming because how can we implement the Universal HealthCare law if this problem is yet to be addressed.) 'We need to get to the bottom of this to protect the rights of patients and their families, and ensure that the government fulfill its duty to pay its obligation to hospitals and clinics over unsettled bills,' she added. The 2025 P6.352 trillion national budget allocated zero allocation for government subsidy for PhilHealth due to the state-run insurance's inability to use its huge amounts of existing budget. MAIFIP, on the other hand, is a program under the Department of Health (DOH) which provides financial assistance to indigent Filipinos on healthcare expenses. The 2025 national budget earmarked P41.15 billion has been allocated for the program. — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
07-07-2025
- Health
- GMA Network
PHAPI: Some hospitals mulling suspension in accepting gov't guarantees over payment issues
The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PHAPI) said on Monday that 43 hospitals in Batangas have yet to receive some P480 million in payment from the government. Some private hospitals are considering a slowdown or even suspension in accepting guarantee letters for health services from the government's Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program. The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PHAPI) said on Monday that 43 hospitals in Batangas have yet to receive some P480 million in payment from the government. 'So far, ayun ang balak nilang gawin kasi nga po medyo tumumal yung pagbibigay sa amin, yung pagbabayad po. Kaya binabalak po nila na kung hindi man i-suspend ay pabagalin muna ang acceptance. Kasi nga medyo, sabi nila, baka maubos naman yung aming pondo na dahil hindi naman naibabalik,' said PHAPI president Dr. Jose De Grano in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB. (So far, that's what they plan to do because the release of payments has slowed down a bit. So they're planning to regulate the acceptance of letters, if not suspend it. Because, as they say, their funds might run out because they haven't received the payments yet.) 'Kasi nga medyo maraming nag-avail ng guarantee letter dito sa probinsya sa Batangas. So medyo naipon po isguro, and then, hindi po agad na-release yung funding, at isa pa, sabi nila doon sa region, kulang din sila sa tao na nagpo-proseso ng guarantee letter,' he added. (Because many people availed of the guarantee letter here in the province of Batangas. So there was a backlog, and then the funding was not released immediately. And another thing, they said in the region, they also lack people to process the guarantee letter.) But the private hospitals group said that the regional Center for Health Development of the Department of Health has started to release the payments to the hospitals. 'Actually, doon sa nakalista sa nai-release na daw nila for the year is around P577 million na po. Pero tuloy-tuloy pa kasi ang pagpasok ng guarantee letters kaya mayroon pa po kaming receivables amounting to around P480 million pa rin,' De Grano said. (Based on their list, they have already released P577 million for the year. But more guarantee letters are coming, so we still have receivables amounting to P480 million.) PHAPI is now asking the government to hasten the process of releasing the payments. 'Sana ma-release kaagad nang sa ganoon hindi mahirapan itong mga ospital at hindi pumunta sa punto na iho-hold nila ang pagtanggap ng guarantee letters,' said De Grano. (We hope that the payments will be released as soon as possible to ease the burden on the hospitals, and we don't want to reach the point that we will completely not accept guarantee letters.) –Vince Angelo Ferreras/NB, GMA Integrated News
