PhilHealth: No loss of P8.5 billion to overpriced COVID test kits

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) denied that it is losing P8.5 billion to overpriced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test kits. 

PhilHealth president Ricardo Morales said they have not yet paid any COVID-19 claims since the disease hit the country in March 2020.    

“Wala pang binabayaran ang PhilHealth sa COVID-19 claims. So, hindi totoo yang may loss na P8.5 billion (Philhealth never paid any COVID-19 claims so it can’t be true that we lost P8.5 billion). How can we suffer a loss? We have not paid anything yet,” Morales said during the Laging Handa press briefing.

Morales blamed market forces for the alleged overpricing of test kits. Some hospitals procured test kits at P8,150 while others at P2,700 only.  

Morales added that the overpricing of COVID-19 test kits will not happen under his watch. He emphasized that they hired a third party agency that constantly monitors the prices of the test kits in the market.

He said they expect test kits to be cheaper by July or October this year.

PhilHealth received criticism after some legislators claimed that the state-run corporation is paying for overpriced COVID-19 test kits and causing an unnecessary depletion of its resources. 

Morales said the Philippines can still support the expenses of all who got infected with COVID-19 this year. He however adds resources may be depleted by next year.

“Kung kayo ay magkasakit ng COVID, sasagutin ng PhilHealth ang iyong paggamot. Kung kayo ay indigent, sasagutin lahat ng PhilHealth ngunit mag ingat na hindi mahawa upang hindi ma-drain ang pondo ng PhilHealth upang hindi rin mabigat sa ating health system (Philhealth will pay for your treatment if you are sick with COVID or indigent; but we need to be careful and avoid infection in order to avoid draining Philhealth’s funds and overwhelming our health system),” he said.

Morales added that PhilHealth records on the payment of COVID-19 test kits are open to anybody.