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February 1, 2021 | 8:00 pm Font Size
PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS
THE HOUSE of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading twin bills that will allow President Rodrigo R. Duterte to halt increases in premiums of the Social Security System (SSS) and Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).
During plenary debates, congressmen voted to pass House Bill 8461 for PhilHealth contributions and House Bill 8512 for SSS premiums.
Lawmakers sought the freeze after a number of workers lost their jobs amid lockdowns brought by a global coronavirus pandemic.
Under the old law, SSS premium increases were supposed to have started to take effect last year.
(JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULLETIN)
PRC chairman Sen. Richard Gordon said they have to yet secure the nod of the Department of Health (DoH) Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) before they can launch such test for public use.
“Nagtataka lang ako pinayagan kami ni Secretary Duque kaagad. Tapos ay may nakalimutan kailangan dumaan pala kayo dito sa tinatawag na Health Technology Assessment na matagal na nandun ‘yan nung Oct. 17, hindi ko sila tinutuligsa pero sana naman may konting sense of urgency,” he told DZMM TeleRadyo.
(I am wondering why Secretary Duque immediately allowed us. Then, they forgot that we have to pass through the Health Technology Assessment which was already there since Oct. 17. I am not criticizing them, but there should be a little sense of urgency)
Senator Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday reminded the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) chief that liquidation is different from audit clearance.
PhilHealth chief says 92% of P15-B questioned fund now liquidated
MORE than 90% of the P15-billion fund released by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to health care institutions, which has been under investigation, has so far been liquidated, the head of the state-owned insurance firm said on Tuesday. “On the record, the Senate and the House have instructed PhilHealth to liquidate the funds. As of now, 92% of the funds has been liquidated,” PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Dante A. Gierran said in mixed English and Filipino during a televised news briefing. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed several and administrative complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against former PhilHealth officials over alleged irregularities in the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism program, under which the funds were released. Mr. Gierran, a former NBI official who was appointed to the top PhilHealth post at the height of the controversies l