By Jet D. Antolin
THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has accumulated up to P89.9 billion in subsidies that have not been utilized, despite many people in need of assistance for medical treatment and hospital payments.
This includes P38.8 billion left unused in 2023, P24 billion in 2022, and P27.1 billion in 2021, as discovered in the investigation by the sub-committee of the House committee on Appropriations.
It was mentioned that since Marcos took office, the subsidy given to PhilHealth has reached P162 billion, but P38.8 billion remained unspent in 2023, and this amount could increase further as there is no report yet on the excess funds of the state insurance for this year.
The PhilHealth will still receive subsidies next year to assist non-members, but these funds will be reclaimed if not utilized.
This was assured by House ways and means committee chairman Rep. Joey Salceda, along with defending the Department of Finance’s decision to recover the unused funds to be used for projects benefiting the public.
“PhilHealth regularly receives a subsidy from the National Government on top of the premiums it collects from its members. In other words, that’s taxpayer money, not contributor money. I think the reasoning of the DOF is that, if taxpayer money is sleeping in PhilHealth, it’s better to use that money for other needs rather than borrow with interest. It saves the taxpayer money. It’s that simple,” Salceda said.
Because of this, many have suggested to not giving PhilHealth any more subsidies, a proposal that Salceda opposed.
Nevertheless, lawmakers are dismayed because PhilHealth is letting the funds sleep even though there are many needs of their members, including non-members when they get sick.”
metrosundaily
