PhilHealth denies loss of P15 B to fraud

August 6 ------ The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Wednesday, August 5, denied the allegation that it lost P15 billion due to fraudulent activities. “PhilHealth categorically denies the allegation that senior officials pocketed P15 billion,” the state-health insurer said in a statement posted on its official Facebook page.

“This fund was released thru the interim reimbursement mechanism to 711 healthcare facilities nationwide to ensure financial liquidity in view of the current pandemic,” it noted. PhilHealth said that such a mechanism will “allow hospitals to focus on patient management and equip them with necessary resources, equipment, drugs, and medicines.” The agency’s statement was in response to the allegations of its former anti-fraud legal officer Thorrsson Montes Keith.

“Ang aking natuklasan sa PhilHealth ay matatawag na krimen ng taon dahilan sa pag sindikato sa pagbibigay ng cash advance–ang interim reimbursement mechanism–at ang pag overprice at pauli-ulit na pagbili ng nabili nang IT equipment. [What I discovered at PhilHealth can be called the crime of the year as they syndicated the provision of cash advance— the interim reimbursement mechanism—and the overpricing and buying of already bought IT equipment],” said Keith at a Senate hearing on Tuesday, August 4.

“Naniniwala po ako, base sa aking imbestigasyon, na ang perang winaldas at ninakaw ay humigit kumulang P15 billion [I believe, based on my investigation, that the money spent and stolen amounted to more or less P15 billion],” he added. Prior to the Senate investigation, Keith wrote in his letter of resignation that there is “widespread corruption” at PhilHealth. PhilHealth President Ricardo Morales, during a media briefing last July 26, said that Keith should “substantiate his accusations,” adding that they are ready to face any investigation.

Source: mb.com.ph