Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner Greco Belgica said corruption in PhilHealth is from “head to toe,” citing the state insurer’s president and CEO should be fired to fix the problem.
“Kung si General Morales po ay hindi aalisin, hindi po maalis ang problema, dahil mula ulo hanggang paa ang corruption sa PhilHealth,” Belgica said.
(If General Morales is not removed, the problem will not be removed, because corruption in PhilHealth is from head to toe.)
Belgica revealed Tuesday PhilHealth has been releasing billions of pesos in payouts every week that are “exposed to corruption” because its information technology (IT) system has no validation mechanism.
“Ang IT system na ginagamit ng PhilHealth has no validation mechanism kaya nama-manipulate ng mga empleyado, ospital… hindi chine-check ng PhilHealth kung totoo ang claims nila,” Belgica said.
(The IT system used by PhilHealth has no validation mechanism, so employees, hospitals manipulate it… PhilHealth does not check if their claims are valid.)
“Dalawa hanggang tatlong bilyong piso ang nilalabas ng PhilHealth linggu- linggo, na exposed sa corruption. Dahil rito, namimiligro tayong mawalan ng pondo.”
(PhilHealth spends two to three billion pesos every week that are exposed to corruption. As a result, we are at risk of losing funds.)
PhilHealth’s Regional Office did not file 220 fraud cases against a hospital even PhilHealth’s central office asked them to do so, Belgica said.
He claimed PhilHealth turned down offers of state-run Landbank, Development Bank of the Philippines, and other private entities for an external validation mechanism though they are free.
“Hindi nila tinanggap kasi maaapektuhan ang pinagkakakitaan nila [they did not accept because it would affect their income],” he said.
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Corruption in PhilHealth
Belgica earlier said at least 36 PhilHealth officials should be fired or face raps for padding of claims in hospitals.
He said PhilHealth was not able to verify the information on receivables given by hospitals, which resulted in the padding of claims.
The PACC recommended the dismissal of the officials involved and the filing of charges before the Office of the Ombudsman, said Belgica.
“The bulk of the problem of PhilHealth stems from the claims of hospitals. The receivables are so high, and (PhilHealth does) not validate it… PhilHealth acts like an (automated teller machine). It just releases payments. It’s like getting a bill from a restaurant, but we are not looking at the bill,” he said.