PhilHealth's Unfulfilled Promises Under Scrutiny: Senator Bong Go Leads Senate Health Hearing
PhilHealth's Unfulfilled Promises Under Scrutiny: Senator Bong Go Leads Senate Health Hearing
As the Philippines gears up for the 2025 national elections, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, is prioritizing the welfare of Filipinos by focusing on pressing healthcare issues. He recently presided over a Senate Health Hearing to address the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) outstanding obligations and assess the impact of recent leadership changes.
The hearing, held amidst shifting political landscapes, underscores Senator Go’s commitment to ensuring the delivery of quality and accessible healthcare services to all Filipinos, regardless of the upcoming election season. He emphasized that the health of the nation should remain a top priority, and that the Senate has a crucial role to play in holding PhilHealth accountable.
Addressing the Backlog of Claims
A primary focus of the hearing was the substantial backlog of claims submitted by healthcare providers. Numerous hospitals and clinics across the country have reported significant delays in receiving payments from PhilHealth, impacting their ability to provide essential services and maintain their operations. Senator Go pressed PhilHealth officials for a detailed timeline and concrete plans to resolve this issue. He stressed the need for transparency and efficiency in the claims processing system, pointing out that delays disproportionately affect smaller healthcare facilities that rely on timely payments to stay afloat.
“We need to ensure that our healthcare providers, especially those in rural areas, are not unduly burdened by bureaucratic red tape and delayed payments,” Senator Go stated.
