P80M DOWNLOADED FOR BEGH TO HELP EASE PHILHEALTH SUSPENSION

September 10, 2022 Headlines

La Trinidad, Benguet Benguet lawmaker Eric Go Yap has sought the downloading of P80 million for Benguet General Hospital (BeGH) after its accreditation with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) was suspended. PhilHealth imposed a three month suspension to BeGH, due to an administrative offense made in 2011 effective September 1 to November 29, 2022. “Very unfortunate yung
suspension ng PhilHealth, ang tagal na case na nun, I think it was 2011 pa.

But we have two ways to look at it, one is to complain and suffer the consequences, two is to do something, be creative and find a solution, at yung pangalawa ang mas pinili natin and we sourced funds and we have 80M medical assistance funds coming for BeGH anytime now,” Yap said. The lawmaker said the unfortunate suspension of BeGH will greatly affect those seeking medical attention in Benguet particularly the indigents. “Hindi pwedeng wala tayong gawin e, everyday ilang dialysis patient ang umaasa sa PhilHealth para sa treatment nila, all of a sudden because of an administrative case from a decade ago,
mawawalan sila ng sasandalan for their treatment?” added Yap.

In 2021, Yap also called on the Department of Health to defer the PhilHealth suspension which should have taken effect March 15 until June 12. “Last year, we moved heaven and earth para lang hindi matuloy yung suspension order ng hospital, it was granted kasi PhilHealth fully understood na papatayin mo ang pasyente kapag na enforce yang suspension in the midst of the pandemic, aside from the fact na depleted din talaga ang pondo ng probinsya to begin with, so I ask Philhealth, what changed? Nasa pandemic pa din tayo and bumaba pa nga ang pondo ng LGU. Yes, it is a provincial hospital, pero marami din namang kailangan gastusan ang PLGU,” Yap said.

The provincial government of Benguet earlier appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to lift the suspension as this will deprive the people from availing the national health insurance program and will affect the implementation of the Universal Health Care Law. “Funds for this year are very scarce already, pa end of the year na and halos wala na makuhanan talaga.

But what we cannot do, is to allow our people to suffer. No matter how hard this predicament the hospital is in, it will always be worth every ounce of effort para lang magawan ng paraan. Fortunately, may nahanap tayong pondo to provide help sa patients natin na umaasa sa Philhealth. Like I said many times, it is my commitment to go beyond my mandate as lawmaker to protect our kailyans,” Yap quipped.

Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN