PhilHealth said Wednesday it would pay the Philippine Red Cross P256 million this week to clear its debts that at one time stalled COVID-19 testing.
In October 2020, the PRC halted PhilHealth-funded tests for returning Overseas Filipino Workers and for mega-swabbing facilities due to unpaid debts of P1 billion. It urged PhilHealth to pay their dues so it can resume running tests.
"We announced that for this week, we are preparing a payment of P112 million, and we are rushing another batch of payment before the week ends. In total, that's going to be P265 million only for this week," PhilHealth Spokesman Rey Balena told ANC's Headstart.
ALSO READ:
Red Cross Halts PhilHealth-Funded COVID Tests Due to Debt
PhilHealth Sorry for P930-M Debt to Red Cross, Promises to Pay
Red Cross: PhilHealth Must Pay Remaining Debt in 3 Days
Balena said that PhilHealth has the capacity to pay, but must look into every claim submitted by the PRC "because we owe it to the members to be prudent in our payments to our claims, to our providers."
The good claims are being paid promptly, but there are deficient claims that must be returned to the PRC for compliance. Some P103.4 million worth of claims have been returned, Balena said.
Sen. Richard Gordon, who chairs the PRC, on Monday tweeted that he hoped PhilHealth could settle its dues "before this becomes a 'Part 2' of the issue."
