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Mercado ponders cure for ailing PhilHealth

MANILA, Philippines —  Likening the state-run health insurer to a sick patient, the newly appointed chief of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) yesterday vowed to address issues related to benefits management and financial reporting to enhance its delivery of services.

PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Edwin Mercado said he would study thoroughly what processes need to be amended to comply with President Marcos’ directive to expand the health insurer’s benefits.

“As a doctor, I view PhilHealth as a patient with illness and I am determining the cure,” Mercado said in a press briefing at Malacañang.

Mercado acknowledged that he is facing a “huge challenge” as PhilHealth chief, but gave assurance that he is used to dealing with patients’ concerns.

“I experienced being on the other side of the fence, how it is to be dealing with PhilHealth,” said Mercado, a hospital executive and orthopedic surgeon.

Mercado is planning to look into the efficiency of PhilHealth’s operations, saying there are leaks and wastage that can be plugged.

He cited the need to standardize the recording of financial reports to ensure transparency and to digitize the processing of claims.  

“Efficiency is tied with whatever we can gain from addressing wastage. We will use that to expand the benefits,” the PhilHealth chief said. “Once we implement the digitization, we can flag the claims that are excessive or questionable.”

At the same press briefing, Mercado said PhilHealth would comply with whatever ruling the Supreme Court would issue on the petitions questioning the transfer of the state insurer’s more than P89-billion “excess funds” to the national treasury.

“We respect the process that the Supreme Court is undergoing and we will abide by whatever ruling the Supreme Court will have,” he said.

Mercado, who took his oath last Tuesday, replaced Emmanuel Ledesma Jr., whose stint was rocked with criticisms over alleged inefficient fund use and the state insurer’s zero subsidy in this year’s national budget.

The Government Corporate Counsel and the Solicitor General have defended the legality of PhilHealth’s transfer of its excess funds, arguing before the Supreme

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