PhilHealth backs DOH stand on cheaper drugs

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO --- THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) recently expressed support for the Department of Health's call for private hospitals to open their financial records to scrutiny to enable the public to discern whether indeed, they are losing money due to the implementation of the Maximum Drug Retail Price (MDRP) system.
Reacting to news reports that private hospitals will increase fees of other services to patients to recoup their alleged losses, Dr. Rey B. Aquino, PhilHealth President and CEO, said last week that such act is immoral and does not put into consideration its overall impact on people, including PhilHealth members who seek medical treatment in accredited facilities.
"Recouping the price reductions in about 21 essential drugs by increasing administrative fees further jeopardizes the patients who have been looking forward to the implementation of the Cheaper Medicines Law," he said.
"Marami sa ating mga kababayan ang umaasa sa pinababang presyo ng mga pangunahing gamot at kung babawiin naman pala ang price cuts na ito sa presyo ng ibang serbisyo sa ospital, parang hindi rin napakinabangan ang Cheaper Medicines Act," Aquino added.
Emphasizing that the MDRP system covers only a limited number of commonly-prescribed drugs and medicines, Aquino said he believes that the price reductions will not adversely affect the overall financial health of private hospitals in particular, as "there are so many other drugs and medicines whose retail prices have not yet been slashed by half."
Noting that some hospitals have slowly increased their fees in other hospital expense items to match corresponding increases in maximum benefits instituted by PhilHealth early this year, Aquino appealed to accredited private hospitals to forego any further increase in said fees to enable PhilHealth members to experience the impact of the 35 percent increase in benefit ceilings that the government agency introduced in April. "It is high time that our members are able to fully appreciate the support that their PhilHealth coverage means, whether they are admitted in primary, secondary or tertiary category hospitals," Aquino said.
To date, there are about 1,558 hospitals accredited by PhilHealth nationwide. Through these hospitals, PhilHealth members are able to avail themselves of quality health care services and the benefits they get are in accordance with maximum benefit amounts defined by PhilHealth.