The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) raised concerns over the health insurance sector with the transfer of funds from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to the Treasury.
ECOP president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. suggested that employers take over their employees’ health insurance coverage.
Ortiz-Luis also criticized the transfer of PhilHealth’s nearly P90 billion in unused funds to the Treasury, echoing the Commission on Audit’s (COA) stance that the amount could have been used to enhance members’ benefits.
The funds will reportedly be redirected to unprogrammed appropriations in the 2024 budget, prompting legal challenges before the Supreme Court from groups advocating for their use to expand PhilHealth benefits.
Ortiz-Luis also questioned why PhilHealth was still increasing members’ contributions despite having billions in excess funds.
“If there’s a surplus, why raise contributions? Members are already complaining about inadequate services,” he said.
He said adding to the confusion are reports that PhilHealth may actually be deep in debt to private hospitals and health workers, making the fund transfer even more baffling.
Asked whether employers should provide health insurance themselves, Ortiz-Luis welcomed the idea. “If PhilHealth’s management doesn’t improve, we’d rather self-insure. It might even benefit employees more,” he said.
