State social health insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) said it has filed cases against some of its officials as part of their Corporate-wide efforts to end a “mafia” within its walls as noted during a Congressional hearing early this year. The “mafia” is said to include officers some of them are being investigated for various violations of civil service rules and other pertinent laws.
PhilHealth Spokesperson Dr. Shirley B. Domingo said in a statement that the Board and its Management have promptly acted on the matter, conducted several investigations and filed cases against erring officials. In line with this, a regional vice president WAS CHARGED WITH grave misconduct, gross insubordination, and gross neglect of duty and was meted a 90-day preventive suspension. CURRENTLY, SAME OFFICER IS SERVING HIS SECOND SUSPENSION FOR THIS YEAR, THIS TIME FOR 12 COUNTS OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFENSE OF "GROSS NEGLECT OF DUTY" for approving unlawful claims filed by former PhilHealth employee Dr. Stephen Magat.
The state health insurer also said that investigations are ongoing and several others are currently being investigated over various allegations.
Another regional vice president has been recently charged and is up for suspension because of gross neglect of duty owing to his consistent poor performance that spanned at least three years. The official concerned is being investigated for his region’s inefficiency that left many hospitals complaining about delayed payments of their claims. PhilHeath said that the region has been the slowest in paying claims at an average of 150 days or 90 days overdue.
The agency’s Board has also affirmed the charges against an officer who has allowed his personnel to receive salaries for several years without submitting daily time records.
Domingo said that this is just the beginning since their current PHILHEALTH BOARD, COMPOSED OF HEALTH SECRETARY DR. FRANCISCO DUQUE AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,:
The DILG SECRETARY,
THE DSWD SECRETARY,
THE CIVIL SERVICE CHAIRMAN,
THE GSIS CHAIRMAN,
THE LABOR SECRETARY,
THE SSS CHAIRMAN,
THE FINANCE SECRETARY,
NAPC CHAIRMAN AND SIX BOARD MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE has vowed to institute reforms and do everything in its power to quash this so-called mafia that PERSISTENTLY DEFY reforms, and CHALLENGE needed officer reassignments designed to improve performance and to avert too much familiarity that breeds corruption.
The state insurer said that the reforms that have been in place starting this year are starting to translate to better outcomes, among them the improvement in claims processing time across the country to just 33 days, its consistent positive financial standing for three quarters in a row that recently ended with Php 9.8 billion in net cash (as of September 2018), and the introduction of new benefits which include Z Benefits for children with disabilities and expanded primary care for the formal sector and the elderly. END
