March 28, 2024

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation dispelled perceptions it is in connivance with unscrupulous institutions or individuals who are turning the Covid-19 pandemic into a money-making venture.

PhilHealth-Cordillera  Acting Regional Vice President Dominga Gadgad, in a media forum Wednesday at City Hall, urged members to immediately report any medical facility or practitioner who they believe are using the pandemic to make money by falsely insisting that a patient has Covid-19 to file hefty claims from the government insurer.

She said the complaint must be accompanied by evidence in accordance with the law.

Gadgad said all claims filed with PhilHealth come with a chart and all Covid-19 claims are scrutinized by a doctor. 

She said PhilHealth does not pay if the claim doesn’t pass approved infectious disease guidelines.

“PhilHealth does not tolerate any illegal practice whatsoever,” Gadgad said.

“Let me remind you that the money of PhilHealth is everybody’s money. It is then everyone’s responsibility to protect the fund.”

Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center Chief Ricardo Ruñez said no such nefarious activity is happening at the BGHMC since they conduct strict monitoring to make sure that none of their patients are victimized.

City Health Services Officer Rowena Galpo said only a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test can confirm whether or not a patient is positive of the Covid-19.

“It is only the RT-PCR test that can determine if one has Covid-19 and not the insistence of a doctor or facility,” she said. – Gaby B. Keith