This means that only those with mild pneumonia could be fully covered by Philhealth. Those with moderate, severe and critical pneumonia will have to shell out payments from their own pockets, ranging from 35 percent to 88 percent for an eight-day confinement. For severe and critical pneumonia, Philhealth will only cover nine percent to 21 percent of the total cost for a 16-day hospitalization.
Despite these scandals, Philhealth will still lead and manage the implementation of the Universal Health Care, and be entrusted to manage “humongous huge amount of money” from member premiums, public funding through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) and shares from PAGCOR and sin taxes.
The 2018 budget for public hospitals was cut by P1.5 billion.
“Risa Hontiveros was not even able to address a number of PhilHealth controversies, such as the protested case rates, glaring hospital and clinic reimbursements, increase in out-of-pocket health expenditure and millions worth of bonuses and perks given to PhilHealth executives.”
A recent IBON study among PhilHealth beneficiaries reveals how health services in the country have deteriorated and become more costly for the public
“From the start, Gabriela has been pushing to abolish Philhealth and to give its budget to hospitals directly for spending on medicines, supplies, and salaries of health workers. Now the public really sees no benefits from this agency, and taxpayers are even burdened with paying for the bonuses of its officials, as if we are rewarding them for their botched job performance.” – Gabriela Women’s Party Re. Emmi de Jesus
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat Perspective What is legal may not necessarily be moral. Morality is about a code of conduct that is considered right and acceptable; it is about ethics; and ethics could be based on religious beliefs or a set of principles that a society or a group of people adheres to. For example,…
Aside from the much-criticized fat bonuses at a time when the funds’ sustainability was supposedly in danger, thus requiring a hike in members’ contributions, it turned out that the SSS executives have each been receiving $1,859 per month just for attending two board meetings, and its CEO flies abroad every two months, first-class.
“The growing dependence of the DOH on the role of PhilHealth for healthcare delivery manifests a very myopic approach to decades-old problems besetting the Philippine healthcare system.” – Network Opposed to Privatization
By SONNY AFRICA/IBON Foundation
In closing the 2012 SONA, President Aquino asked rhetorically: “Isn’t the agenda for change moving forward?” Unfortunately after two years, there is clearly no fundamental change and no systematic economic reforms taking place.
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
“Once charity patients from indigent families without PhilHealth coverage are turned away from public hospitals, many will be forced to simply wait for death even if they are suffering from what originally were treatable diseases.”