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The 87 cataract
operations during a medical mission here last March was voluntarily
charged by recipients to their Philhealth benefits.
This
was the claim made by provincial health and social services
consultant Francisca Baluyot in her report to Gov. Erico Aumentado
dated October 24, 2007.
According
to Baluyot, the "87 patients volunteered to use their
Philhealth cards as a gesture to the doctors [who never received
honorarium or allowances]" during the conduct of several
medical missions here.
The
reimbursement likewise included the "hospital concerned"
and that the beneficiaries "have given their full consent
regarding the Philhealth claims."
"There
was no force on said patients, they were given Philhealth
forms after operation and [the] 87 patients returned [their]
forms after 2-3 weeks," according to Baluyot saying that
the forms "were duly accomplished and signed by the recipients."
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Baluyot
said the March 2007 medical mission, dubbed as the biggest
in the country's history, was the first time that reimbursements
were made against Philhealth out of the 25 free medical
missions done in the province.
Of
these medical missions, four were cataract operations
which benefited a total of 6,000 cataract patients,
Baluyot claimed.
During
the March 2007 medical mission, a total of 1,603 were
operated with a quantified cost of P80-million, the
report stated.
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AMOUNT
OF REFUND
A
total of P940,500 was charged against Philhealth for March
2007 medical mission, records at the Gov. Celestino Gallares
Regional Hospital (GCGRH) showed.
According
to a staff of the hospital's accounting section Jesusa Ongcoy,
the Philhealth charges included professional fees for the
doctors who performed the surgical procedures and operating
room fee for GCGRH.
Ongcoy
said that as of August 29, 2007, the already received reimbursements
from Philhealth for doctors' fees in the amount of P626,400.
Meanwhile
P314,100 was paid to the hospital for operating room fee.
The
total amount was released by Philhealth for the 87 patients.
The
P626,400 was already claimed by the three doctors who rendered
services during the medical mission, according to Ongcoy.
GUV
DISPLEASED
Aumentado,
however, said he is "not pleased" that a free medical
mission was charged for reimbursement against the Philhealth.
The
governor vowed to "look into the matter" and ban
the doctors who are found to be involved in the Philhealth
claims.
During
his weekly radio program "The Governor Reports",
Aumentado said that even if only 87 patients out of the 1,603
recipients of the free medical mission held last March had
been charged with their Philhealth, it is still "improper".
The
governor said that the medical mission had the support of
the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Office
of the President.
"I
will look into this, if it is found that there are doctors,
who have benefited, then in the next medical mission, we will
tell the donor agencies not to include them," he said.
BOHOL
NOT INCLUDED IN PROBE
Baluyot
likewise claimed in an interview over dyRD's Inyong Alagad
that Bohol is not included in ongoing investigations conducted
by Philhealth for alleged spurious claims made by doctors
and hospitals.
Baluyot
expressed dismay that despite the assistance provided to indigents
during medical missions, they were accused of abusing the
Philhealth through false reimbursements.
She
said those who are complaining only comprise a minority compared
to those who have benefited of the medical outreach programs.
Baluyot
said those who complained about their Philhealth accounts
being charged for their cataract operations should have instead
consulted her to iron out whatever "miscommunication."
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