MANILA – The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has vowed to settle its P930 million debt to the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) today in an aim for the latter to resume its coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing.
In a statement, the state insurer said there was already a go signal from the payment after receiving a legal opinion from the Department of Justice on the COVID-19 testing agreement between PhilHealth and PRC.
“PhilHealth will release payment on Monday, Oct. 26, 2020, subject to completeness of billing requirements submitted by the PRC, and in compliance to COA (Commission on Audit) rules,” PhilHealth said.
“The payment to be made by the PhilHealth should enable the PRC to immediately resume its testing of swab specimen of concerned sectors which PhilHealth pays for,” the state insurer added.
Senator Richard Gordon, who chairs PRC, said they would only resume the tests if the government settles the full amount.
“They should pay the whole amount because mahirap, nakabitin kami,” Gordon said in a media briefing. “Tingnan mo ha, babayad ka ng kalahati. Ano’ng mangyayari ngayon? Papalakihin na naman? Edi ninenerbyos kaming lahat.”
Last week, the PRC stopped accepting specimens from returning Filipinos, mega swabbing facilities and local government units, among others, due to mounting unpaid debt.
PRC was responsible for about one million COVID-19 tests, or nearly a fourth of the country’s total 3.8 million tests./PN
