PhilHealth execs told to fix info system

Dominguez said PhilHealth officials claim the agency spent about PHP2.1 billion for their information system “when in fact, they spent close to PHP200 billion.” (File Photo: Philippine Health Insurance Corporation/Facebook)

MANILA – Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III on Thursday said officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) have been asked to put in order their questionable information system since October 2019.

During the joint briefing of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the inter-agency Development Budget and Coordination Committee (DBCC), Dominguez said Department of Finance (DOF) officials cannot make secure projections on PhilHealth’s fund life, or the period wherein their funds can finance their expenses and liabilities as its information system is not fit for this.

“Their information system is and I’ve used this term publicly, is in shambles. And we’ve pointed this out to them since October of last year,” he said.

Dominguez said PhilHealth officials claim the agency spent about PHP2.1 billion for their information system “when in fact, they spent close to PHP200 billion.”

“And they have no way or their information system is not robust enough to capture all the data,” he said.

If the state agency that was tasked to implement universal health coverage for the country will have a good information system, the DOF would be able to make not just a one-year projection but a 10-year projection for PhilHealth’s fund life, Dominguez said.

“As of now, I will take their word that probably by 2021 or late 2021 or late 2022 they may run out of money and that is why, we have in our budget for this year. I believe it is around PHP70 (billion) or around PHP80 billion to subsidize PhilHealth,” he said.

Dominguez, however, said “in the long term, we have to fix up the administration of PhilHealth in order to be able to get a good handle of what exactly their liabilities and fund life are.”

PhilHealth officials said the agency’s funds are now short especially because of the expenses of members who got hospitalized due to the coronavirus disease pandemic.