House probes alleged PhilHealth anomaly

Alleged anomalies of PhilHealth was revealed on Tuesday by its former officials in a hearing in House of Representative.

In a hearing of House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, Dr. Minguita Padilla, former head executive staff of former Health Secretary Janette Garin stated that some hospital’s modus operandi were to gather billions of peso worth of PhilHealth claim.

One of those was the Our Lady of Mercy Hospital in Bacolod where patients were recruited to undergo cataract surgery despite being unessential.

From 2015 to 2016, Pacific Eye Institute owned by Dr. David Gosiengfiao, was one of the ten eye centers where PhilHealth paid 2 billion worth of claims.

However, according to Gosiengfiao’s testimony read by Dr. Francis Lopez, former board member of PhilHealth, the 17 million claim that Gosiengfiao supposed to file was withheld by the former Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs of PhilHealth, Edgar Asuncion.

Part of the testimony, Asuncion took advantage of Gosiengfiao’s five million to release the claims, and the 2 million, which was part of the earlier amount, was for the former PhilHealth President Atty. Alex Padilla.

With these, the present regime of PhilHealth admitted that they still receive anomaly reports, however they made settlement right away because of Anti-Fraud and Whistleblower Division, and they are doing everything to end the corruption in the institution and castigate whoever behind these anomalies.

Meanwhile, Committee Chairman Rep Johnny Pimentel admits that the possible outcome of the probe “might affect” the 57 billion pesos which PhilHealth is asking for 2018 budget for it will be used to fund premiums of senior citizens and indigents.

Congress will ralso equest Gosiengfiao, Asuncion, and Padilla, as well as Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial, to be summoned on the next hearing that will be held after passing the 2018 national budget. | Angelica Bobiles – PTV

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