Senator Pia Cayetano Questions DOH over Delayed Health Infra; Grills PhilHealth over Konsulta, Fund Transfers
October 8, 2024
Senator Pia Cayetano Questions DOH over Delayed Health Infra; Grills PhilHealth over Konsulta, Fund Transfers
Senior Finance Vice Chair Senator Pia S. Cayetano sought clarification on various health-related issues as she led the hearing on the proposed 2025 budgets of the Department of Health (DOH) and its attached agencies and corporations today, October 8.
During the hearing, Cayetano asked officials of the agencies to clarify several issues, including the pending health emergency allowances for healthcare workers, the low utilization rate of DOH's health facility enhancement program, updates on immunization and reproductive health programs, healthcare workforce gaps, and PhilHealth's recent fund transfers to the national treasury.
Cayetano particularly expressed concern over delays in the implementation of health infrastructure projects, as well as the slow rollout of PhilHealth's Konsulta program, which has remained in partial implementation for years. Konsulta is Philhealth's transitional benefit package for primary healthcare while they are still developing their comprehensive outpatient benefit package, as mandated by the Universal Health Care Act.
The Senator further called for a review of PhilHealth's policies and case rates to make them more realistic and responsive to the needs of Filipino patients. She noted that some rates have remained the same for over a decade, emphasizing the need for a more thorough, evidence-based approach to adjusting such rates, rather than implementing across-the-board increases.
Cayetano stressed the importance of pushing for these initiatives, with the end goal of providing comprehensive healthcare coverage and reducing patients' out-of-pocket expenses.
The Senator also voiced her concern about PhilHealth's recent transfer of funds to the national treasury, despite the agency's previous requests for additional funding. Pointing out that from 2021 to 2023, PhilHealth had asked for substantial budget increases from Congress for their benefit package improvements under the Universal Health Care Act, Cayetano said she was surprised that PhilHealth still transferred nearly Php 89 billion worth of unutilized funds to the national treasury.
"It's very, very confusing to me how that happened," Cayetano remarked, questioning why such funds were not used to expand healthcare benefits as originally intended.
Wrapping up the budget discussions, the Senator reaffirmed her commitment to improving the country's healthcare system. She urged the concerned agencies to prioritize more sustainable and long-term initiatives to protect public health.
"Our goal should be to create a healthcare system that not only treats illnesses but actively promotes wellness," the Senator stated.
SENADORA PIA CAYETANO, KINUWESTIYON ANG PAGKAANTALA SA PROYEKTO NG DOH; PHILHEALTH GINISA SA KONSULTA PROGRAM AT FUND TRANSFER
Humingi ng paglilinaw si Senador Pia S. Cayetano, Senior Vice Chair sa Finance, tungkol sa iba't ibang isyung pangkalusugan habang pinangunahan niya ang hearing sa mga iminungkahing 2025 budget ng Department of Health (DOH) at mga kaakibat nitong ahensya at korporasyon ngayong Oktubre 8.
Hiningi ni Cayetano sa mga opisyal ng mga ahensya na linawin ang ilang mga isyu, kabilang ang nakabinbing health emergency allowances para sa mga healthcare workers , mga pagkaantala sa pagpapatupad ng iba pang proyektong pang-imprastraktura sa kalusugan, mga update sa vaccination programs at reproductive health, at kakulangan sa healthcare workers, at paglipat ng pondo ng Philheath sa pambansang kabang-yaman.
Nagpahayag din ng pag-aalala si Cayetano tungkol sa pagkaantala sa ilang mga programang pangkalusugan, tulad ng Konsulta program ng PhilHealth, na nananatiling nasa partial implementation pa din makalipas ang ilang taon na. Ang Konsulta ang Transitional benefit package ng PhilHealth para sa pangunahing pangangalagang pangkalusugan habang bumubuo pa sila ng kanilang komprehensibong outpatient benefit package, ayon sa iniutos ng Universal Health Care Act.
Nanawagan din ang Senador na suriin ang mga patakaran at case rates ng PhilHealth upang gawing mas makatotohanan at naaayon sa mga pangangailangan ng mga pasyenteng. Napansin ng Senador na nananatiling pareho ang rates sa loob ng mahigit isang dekada, at binigyang-diin ang pangangailangan para sa mas masusing evidence-based methodologies upang i-adjust ang mga rates imbes na mauwi sa across-the-board na pagtataas.
Binigyang-diin ni Cayetano ang kahalagahan ng pagsusulong ng mga inisyatibang ito, na may hangaring magbigay ng komprehensibong coverage sa pangangalagang pangkalusugan at pagbabawas ng gastusin ng mga pasyente.
Ipinahayag din ng Senador ang kanyang pag-aalala tungkol sa usapin ng paglilipat ng pondo ng PhilHealth sa pambansang kabang-yaman, sa kabila ng mga nakaraang kahilingan ng ahensya para sa karagdagang pondo. Nabanggit sa hearing na humingi ang PhilHealth ng malaking pagtaas ng budget mula sa Kongreso noong 2021 hanggang 2023 para sa kanilang benefit package sa ilalim ng Universal Health Care Act. Sinabi ni Cayetano na nagulat siya na naglipat pa rin ang PhilHealth ng halos 89 bilyong piso na hindi nagamit na pondo sa pambansang kabang-yaman.
"It's very, very confusing to me how that happened," sabi ni Cayetano, na kinukwestiyon kung bakit hindi ginamit ang naturang pondo para palawakin ang mga benepisyong pangkalusugan gaya ng orihinal na layunin.
Sa pagtatapos ng mga talakayan sa budget, muling pinagtibay ng Senador ang kanyang pangako na pagbutihin ang sistema ng pangangalagang pangkalusugan ng bansa. Hinimok niya ang mga kinauukulang ahensya na bigyang prayoridad ang mas sustainable at pangmatagalang mga inisyatiba upang protektahan ang kalusugan ng publiko.
"Our goal should be to create a healthcare system that not only treats illnesses but actively promotes wellness," wika ng Senador.
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