BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved a resolution inviting officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) and the representatives of the five government and private hospitals in the city to shed light on the alleged threat of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP) for a hospital holiday in view of the P7 to P9 billion unpaid debt of the state health insurance corporation causing concerns to the residents, particularly those members of the PHIC.
The resolution stated that the invited resource persons are expected to appear during the local legislative body’s regular session on Monday, June 4, 2018 to provide the needed information that will effectively and efficiently address the concerns of the PHIC members relative to the impending refusal of the private hospitals to admit patients availing of their PHIC benefits when confined for medical treatment.
The resolution claimed that PHAP officials allegedly made a threatening statement in a media interview for private hospitals nationwide to undergo a ‘hospital holiday’ considering the approximately P7 to P9 billion debt of the PHIC to their organization.
The local government recognized that the five government and private hospitals are vital to the city and other neighboring towns and provinces in Northern Luzon in view of the fact that there is only one government tertiary hospital in the city, thus, a ‘hospital holiday’ will jeopardize the medical services not only in the city but including the Cordillera and other parts of Northern Luzon.
According to the resolution, such threatening statement of the PHAP caused concern, worry and anxiety to the people of Baguio, especially the members of the PHIC, because their chances of availing their benefits with the health insurance corporation might be greatly affected once they seek medical attention from the said facilities.
Expected to appear during the June 4, 2018 regular session of the local legislative body include regional offices of the PHIC and representatives from the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC), St. Louis University of the Sacred Heart Hospital, Pines City Doctors Hospital, Filipino-Chinese General Hospital, Notre Dame de Chartres hospital and the Baguio Medical Center.
The resolution stipulated that Baguio City is one of the urban centers in Northern Luzon that hosts primary government and private hospitals catering to the health care needs of patients from different parts of Northern Luzon seeking medical attention from the said facilities, thus, the need for the PHIC and the hospital administrators to clarify the proposed ‘hospital holiday’ so that the benefits of residents will not be affected once they seek medical attention from the said facilities considering that they were able to settle their contributions with the insurance corporation.
The local legislative body is also extending the invitation to other concerned sectors wanting to air their issues and concerns regarding the ‘hospital holiday’ which has been ventilated by the PHAP to compel the PHIC to settle its obligations with the private hospitals around the country.
By Dexter A. See
