Senators laud return of P60 billion to PhilHealth

MANILA, Philippines — Senators yesterday welcomed the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth)’s receipt of the P60-billion “excess fund” after the Supreme Court ruled its return to the treasury was unconstitutional.

Sen. Pia Cayetano called the move “a victory for health and for the Filipino people,” saying the funds for the state insurer should be used to shoulder the out-of-pocket expenses of indigent patients instead of being impounded in the treasury.

“PhilHealth must ensure that these funds are used strictly in accordance with the law – to address the urgent health needs of our people,” Cayetano said. 

“The SC decision is a clear reminder that health care funds are not excess funds. They are lifelines for millions of Filipinos. And the agency has a duty to see that every peso serves its true purpose,” she added.

Sen. JV Ejercito – one of the authors of the Universal Health Care law – said the SC’s order to return the excess funds should serve as a reminder that health care funds are used only for their intended purpose.

“I hope this serves as a reminder that PhilHealth funds should not be treated as ‘surplus.’ This should be used and maximized towards its true purpose,” Ejercito said.

Sen. Loren Legarda said the excess funds are small, compared to the P220.39 billion in health funds not utilized by the government.

She said P113.44 billion comes from sin tax revenues on tobacco, alcohol and sweetened beverages intended for PhilHealth, and another P106.95 billion from the shares of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

“Universal health care cannot be implemented through partial releases, delayed remittances and after-the-fact corrections,” Legarda said.