(MANILA BULLETIN) Senators are looking forward to changes that would happen under United States-trained orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Edwin Mercado, who has been appointed by President Marcos as the new president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito is hoping that Mercado will prioritize the implementation of the Universal Health Care Act. Ejercito. He also wants PhilHealth to be within reach of the people.
“We’re a public agency, we’re a government agency na dapat ang pera ng Philhealth ginagastos para maramdaman na ating mga kababayan, lalong lalo na yung mga may sakit, lalo yung mga na-ospital (We’re a public agency, a government agency, and the funds from PhilHealth should be used in a way that benefits our fellow citizens, especially those who are ill, particularly those who have been hospitalized),” he said.
“Dapat nararamdaman nila na nandyan ang PhilHealth, ang gobyerno, na umalalay sa kanya. Dapat taasan ang case rate, taasan ang participation (They should feel that PhilHealth and the government are there to support them. The case rate should be increased, and participation should be raised),” he added.
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Senator Grace Poe hopes the new PhilHealth chief can breathe new life into the state health insurer that needs healing itself.
“The official faces a gargantuan task in making PhilHealth shape up to live up to its mandate of providing efficient, reliable and accessible universal healthcare to all Filipinos,” she said.
“PhilHealth members who now cough up higher premium contributions must feel the benefits of the healthcare system, or at least have a peace of mind that they can rely on it in case of need,” she added.
Poe said that the new PhilHealth management should also settle its remaining deficiencies to health workers, hospitals, and other institutions.
“We are looking forward to the new PhilHealth leadership and we hope for a more responsive, efficient, and just healthcare management,” she added.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada is hoping that Mercado fixes all the problems of Philhealth. Estrada pointed out that another good thing is he is not a politician.
“Mahirap kasi kapag pulitiko ang hahawak ng Philhealth maraming pwedeng pagbigyan (It’s difficult when a politician handles PhilHealth because there are many opportunities for favoritism), he said..
“Ako (As for me), I just wish him good luck I just read his credentials and he is very highly qualified to be the chief of Philhealth,” he added.
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, said that he is looking forward to working closely with Mercado and hopes that his background in the medical field will lead to better PhilHealth management.
Regardless of who will lead PhilHealth, Go said that he’s more interested on how PhilHealth will fulfill its pending promises, commitments and reforms.
“Malaking hamon ang sasaluhin ni Dr. Mercado bilang bagong lider ng PhilHealth. Unang-una na riyan ang zero budget subsidy ng ahensya para sa taong ito at ang paggamit nang wasto ng sobra-sobra nitong reserve funds (Dr. Mercado will face a significant challenge as the new leader of PhilHealth. First and foremost is the agency’s zero budget subsidy for this year and the proper use of its excessive reserve funds),” he said.
“Ang PhilHealth po ay hindi negosyo na dapat mag-ipon ng pondo. Ito ay medical insurance para sa lahat upang may masasandalan tayo kapag nagkasakit. Kaya dapat nilang gamitin ang kanilang pondo para mapakinabangan ng taumbayan (PhilHealth is not a business that should accumulate funds. It is medical insurance for everyone so that we have support when we fall ill. Therefore, they should use their funds for the benefit of the people,” he added.
With these developments, Go also thanked Emmanuel Ledesma, Jr., whom the Senate Health Committee had the opportunity to work with, for all his efforts to improve PhilHealth and the healthcare benefits it is mandated to provide.
As the new leadership takes the helm of PhilHealth, Go said they remain hopeful that these perennial issues will be addressed, and we can move closer to the full implementation of the Universal Healthcare Law.