With the exponential surge in COVID cases prompting a return to the enhanced community quarantine of the National Capital Region Plus Bubble due to the overwhelmed healthcare system, Senator Richard J. Gordon on Monday pointed out that the total amount due from the Philippine Health Insurance would go a long way in sustaining the Philippine Red Cross’ COVID-19 pandemic operations.
Gordon, PRC chairman and CEO, said the PhilHealth’s total balance of P876,048,574.00 as of April 5 would help the Red Cross alleviate the suffering of a greater number of the most vulnerable residents as well as enable it to conduct more COVID tests.
“I wish PhilHealth would pay us the amount (they owe us) para magamit namin ‘yan para matulungan ang mga nangangailangan. Hindi naman kami naningingil just for the sake of makapaningil but to roll over. Aside from replenishing our testing supplies, at the same time, we are going into this because there is a need to make sure that our people are safe in their homes, that the asymptomatic will be taken out to isolation facilities where they will be taken care of,” he said.
Gordon explained that the continued failure of the state health insurer to fully settle its obligations is hurting the PRC’s operations, especially with the humanitarian organization about to set up isolation centers in schools, with beds, showers, bath and food, where asymptomatic spreaders can stay comfortably for the duration of their quarantine period.
He added that asymptomatic spreaders, most of whom are people who go out to work, should be pulled out of their multi-generation households to stultify the spread of the virus. At the same time, the families they left behind will also be provided with sufficient supplies because no one would provide for them while their breadwinner is on quarantine.
“I hope the PhilHealth realizes that the money they are not paying us hurts our operations. They are paying in trickles and we are really having a very, very hard time. It’s hard talking to somebody who will say we will cut it by half in about two weeks. They said that about a month and a half ago and nothing has happened,” the PRC chairman said. (PR)
