PhilHealth says funds enough for 2020 even amid COVID-19 pandemic

State-insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) on Monday assured the public that it has enough funds to sustain operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic, even as its top official recommended the delay of the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.

According to PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Ricardo Morales, the public has nothing to worry about even with higher expenses due to COVID-19.

"Yes, we have money. We will be fine for the year 2020 and then maybe up to the middle of next year, so there's nothing to worry about," he said during the Laging Handa virtual briefing.

Morales said PhilHealth opened 2020 with a reserve of P130 billion, with the COVID-19 price tag estimated at P40 billion. As of end-April, PhilHealth has paid out P52.5 billion.

"Sa mga kababayan natin, wala hong binabawas na serbisyo ang PhilHealth. Patuloy pa rin ho ang lebel ng serbisyo na binigay ng PhilHealth sa lumipas na taon at sa ngayon," he said.

Just last week, Morales recommended to push back the implementation of the UHC, noting the drop in collections to finance such measure.

"We will be running a deficit by the end of 2020 and we will be maintaining that deficit up to 2024," he said during a Joint Congressional Oversight Committee hearing on the UHC.

Under UHC, all Filipino citizens are automatically enrolled into the National Health Insurance Program — those who have the capacity to pay as direct contributors, and the indigents and senior citizens as indirect contributors and sponsored by the government.

"Lahat ho tayo entitled to health care, kesa nagbabayad tayo ng premium or hindi. Additionally, commitment ng PhilHealth na aalagaan at babantayan ang inyong binabayaran ng premium," Morales said.

"Hindi ho natin pababayaan na mawawala ito sa walang kwentang gastos. Iingatan ho natin ang inyong pera. 'Wag ho kayong mag-alala, 'yan po ang commitment ng PhilHealth," he added.

On supposed irregularities inside PhilHealth, Morales said there are no large-scale collusion efforts to defraud the corporation.

"Noong pumasok ako dito, 'yung issue na 'yan was already in existence lalo na 'yang P154 billion na nawawala daw na pondo," he said during the same briefing. --KBK, GMA News