Penalty for lying to secure PhilHealth benefits sought
FORMER Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito said those who misrepresent their illnesses to secure PhilHealth benefits should be punished.
In an interview on the talk show The Chiefs, Ejercito said there have been reports of patients who connive with doctors and hospitals to give false accounts about their disease to gain access to benefits allotted for severe conditions.
“Kahit hindi COVID, dinedeklarang COVID para makakuha sa PhilHealth. It’s not really PhilHealth lang talaga ang may problema dito. It’s a collusion. Pasensya na, pero may ospital, may doktor, at may PhilHealth. So, talagang sabwatan ‘yan,” he said.
Ejercito, who is seeking for a new term in Senate under Lacson-Sotto team, said that the failure of law enforcers to apprehend violators tends to encourage this trend.
“Dapat talaga may maparusahan dito. In general, sa lahat ng corruption cases o scams, parang walang napaparusahan sa’tin. Kaya walang nagtatanda. Walang natatakot,” Ejercito said.
“Nakakalungkot but let us be honest. Walang big fish na nahuhuli sa’tin. Walang nakukulong. That’s the sad reality of our judicial and political system,” he added.
Moreover, Ejercito said the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation should be headed by a finance expert to improve the state-run insurance system and its mechanisms for accountability.
“This is really not a health agency. This is more of a fund management agency. Dapat ang i-appoint po dito, financial management expert with actuarial knowledge,” he said.
