With the ongoing Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) suspension of the accreditation of the Benguet General Hospital, the provincial government said medical aid is available for indigent patients.
Gov. Melchor Diclas has announced that residents who have no means to pay can avail of the medical assistance offered by the province and the Office of the Congressman.
Due to the suspension of BeGH accreditation until Nov. 29 this year, the number of patients at the hospital decreased.
The province has not received any reply from Malacañang and the senators yet regarding its earlier request for the lifting of the suspension.
Benguet Rep. Eric Yap earlier sourced out P80 million medical assistance funds from the Department of Health to help indigent patients at the hospital.
PhilHealth has implemented the three-month suspension of the provincial-run hospital due to a 2011 administrative offense for extended hospitalization of patients.
The BeGH management appealed the decision on Oct. 8, 2012, but was denied by the PhilHealth board through Resolution 2065-2016. The decision became final and executory on April 3, 2016.
On Dec. 10, 2020, BeGH received an order from PhilHealth granting the issuance of Writ of Execution of the 2011 decision.
The decision included a fine of P10,000 and the suspension of accreditation for three months starting March 15, 2021 until June 12, 2021
In 2021, Yap called on the DOH to defer the PhilHealth suspension which should have taken effect March 15 until June 12.
The solon said many patients rely on PhilHealth, especially as the province’s funds are depleted due to the pandemic.
The PhilHealth Board of Directors considered the appeal; however, the suspension was still implemented. – Ofelia C. Empian
May 9, 2024
