New PhilHealth chief named following budget troubles
MANILA, Philippines — PhilHealth has a new chief following its controversial budget troubles, which led to the state-owned insurer receiving zero subsidy from the national government.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Edwin Mercado as new president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Philhealth, replacing Emmanuel Ledesma.
Mercado took his oath before Marcos in Malacañan Palace on Tuesday, February 4.
In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said that he is an orthopedic surgeon who was trained in the US. Mercado is the vice chair of Mercado General Hospital Inc., a national chain of healthcare facilities that includes four general hospitals, six multi-specialty clinics, two surgery centers, 150 primary care corporate clinics and more.
Mercado graduated as a Doctor of Medicine from the University of the Philippines in 1987, and has a Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery from Harvard Medical School in 2023.
The PCO also said that Mercado has an Executive Master’s in Healthcare Administration from the University of North Carolina.
Mercado has also worked with the Department of Health, and the Zuellig Family Foundation. He is also a faculty lecturer at the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health, as well as a guest lecturer at the University of the Philippines College of Public Health.
Harvard Medical School’s website also noted that Mercado has studied health economics and delivery models in line with the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Law, which he worked on with PhilHealth.
“Edwin’s research topics are on Private Public Partnerships for primary care clinics and universal healthcare public financial systems in the Philippines. He is also assessing the understanding and acceptance of the UHC implementing rules among provider, payer, and regulator stakeholders,” his description on the Harvard website read.
Mercado’s replacement of Ledesma was preceded by the controversial decision to remove Philhealth’s subsidy from the national government.
Lawmakers questioned Philhealth over its accumulation of at least P500 billion in reserve funds, when it often covered so little of medical bills.
Marcos himself appeared