All is well that ends well.
Seven private hospitals in Iloilo City decided to renew their accreditation with Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
“While the minimum acceptable payments have been received, there are provisions in our position paper that have not yet been met. We decided to renew our accreditation in the interest of public health,” the hospital heads said in joint statement Tuesday, Feb. 22.
According to the statement, the hospitals and PhilHealth “mutually agreed on certain terms for a beneficial solution taking into consideration the welfare of the patients.”
They also assured that they would continue to honor and process all valid claims made by PhilHealth members and to work together with the state insurer for additional reforms and improvement to better serve the people.
“Despite our decision to re-engage, we will still pursue our advocacy to push for long-term reforms in PHIC and in our health care system. This re-engagement will not prevent them from giving support to their national organization, the PHAPI (Philippine Hospital Association Philippines), in all its initiatives to bring reforms in the country’s health care system.”
Last December, the seven private hospitals – the St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo (SPHI), Iloilo Doctors’ Hospital (IDH), Iloilo Mission Hospital (IMH), Medicus Medical Center, Qualimed Hospital Iloilo, The Medical City Hospital Iloilo (TMCI) and the Metro Iloilo Hospital, and Medical Center Inc. (MIHMCI) – announced that they would cut ties for nonpayment of their claims amounting to more than P500 million.
But after a dialogue on Dec. 29 and 31, 2021, the hospital heads agreed to give PhilHealth “one more chance to fulfil its commitment up to Jan. 31.”IMT
