Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 2) — A number of senators on Wednesday said the proposal to use funds from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation to build more COVID-19 testing laboratories might be to the detriment of coronavirus patients.
“Baka maubos ‘yung pera because I don’t think it’s a joke to establish a COVID-19 testing laboratory – milyun-milyong pera din ‘yan [That’s still millions of money],” Senator Koko Pimentel said during the plenary session. “We might be wasting money here.”
The state health insurer’s interim reimbursement mechanism (IRM) for COVID-19 of which over P14 billion were paid in advance to hospitals, was tagged as illegal. The money was intended to help hospitals amid the pandemic, but the Senate Committee of the Whole on Monday recommended that some institutions spend it for testing centers.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the cash advances were for patients, not facilities.
“This was not a fund to purchase equipment or improve the hospital,” he said. “It is for the reimbursement of claims.”
Senator Cynthia Villar said she suggested to use the IRM for healthcare institutions that have no COVID-19 facilities, including the Las Pinas General Hospital in her city.
“For every money that you give, you should have some requirement on what they should be able to give in terms of service to the people,” Villar said.
Senate President Tito Sotto agreed with Villar and offered a safeguard, saying the Health Technology Assessment Council should determine how the testing laboratory will be established.
