MARCOS EXTENDS FILING OF HOSPITAL CLAIMS TO 120 DAYS

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Health (DOH) to extend the period of filing hospital claims with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) from 60 days to 120 days to address reimbursement delays experienced by some health facilities.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said President Marcos ordered the “claims flexibility” to give hospitals more time to complete the documents required by PhilHealth.

President Marcos issued the directive in light of the reported more than P1 billion worth of return-to-hospital (RTH) claims that have not been paid.

“Ipinag-utos din ng Pangulo na i-extend ang maaaring period para makapag-claim ang ibang ospital, na-extend ito up to 120 days,” Castro said.

“Ito iyong tinatawag na claims flexibility at dahil dito ay natutugunan ng DOH, ng PhilHealth ang kanilang mga obligasyon. Basta ang nais lang din natin, ang mga ospital ay makapagbigay ng kanilang mga dokumento sa tamang oras at panahon,” Castro added.

The Palace Press Officer said the DOH attributed the returned PhilHealth claims to the hospitals’ failure to submit complete documents within the prescribed 60-day period.

“Patungkol diumano sa mga hindi agad nababayaran na mga claims sa PhilHealth, ayon sa DOH, mayroon kasing date na dapat na maibigay ang claims ng mga ospital. May period na within 60 days at karamihan sa ibang mga ospital ay hindi agad nakakapagbigay ng kanilang mga dokumento para sa kanilang claims,” Castro explained.