Saturday, January 6, 2018

AUDIT PHILHEALTH FUNDS FIRST BEFORE RAISING PREMIUMS!

Image result for francisco duque



07 January 2018

Before the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) increases contributions from 2.5 to 2.75 percent starting this month, a truly THOROUGH AND COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT of its funds must be done.

For the simple reason that Health Secretary Francisco Duque III DID NOT CITE ANY EMERGENCY OR FUND SHORTAGE in announcing the increase to media at a forum last Friday (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/957817/philhealth-raises-premium-contributions-by-25.)

These are all that Duque had to say in justifying the increase in contribution: “PhilHealth has been existing for three decades and it is hiking its premium contributions only now. This will double the actual solvency of PhilHealth’s reserve fund from the current four years to eight and a half years.”  Duque added that the increase in contributions aims to beef up PhilHealth’s social insurance benefit packages. But HE DID NOT SPECIFY the supposed benefits.

So if the reserve fund is solvent good at present for four long years, WHY DOUBLE IT NOW? WHY NOT AFTER A YEAR OR TWO? WHAT EXACTLY is the added contributions FOR? PhilHealth members HAVE ALL THE RIGHT TO KNOW. IT’S THEIR HARD-EARNED MONEY that’s at stake. They’re not bank accounts or automated tellering machines (ATM) units from which money can be drawn by Philhealth anytime and they can’t ask why.

And so what if PhilHealth has been around for three decades or 30 years and is raising contributions only now? It’s a NON-STOCK, NON-PROFIT government agency. It’s for the POOR and the ELDERLY. It’s NOT FOR PHILHEALTH OFFICIALS AND PERSONNEL alone.  Unless anybody can produce a law saying that PhilHealth is allowed to HAVE OR RAISE TONS OF EXTRA CASH ANYTIME WHENEVER IT FEELS LIKE IT.

That’s why a THOROUGH AUDIT must be conducted, fast, of PhilHealth’s funds before it increases contributions. In FAIRNESS to the MILLIONS of PhilHealth members. If there’s nothing to hide, then an immediate and special audit should not be a problem for Duque or any other PhilHealth officials. If something is wrong, then it would be the height of INJUSTICE AND INHUMANITY to let the member suffer through higher contributions. 30

.


No comments:

Post a Comment