The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) still owes over ₱7.8 billion in disallowances issued by the Commission on Audit (COA) as of the end of 2022.
In a 51-page report, the COA cited several reasons for the disallowances, including the payment of cash gifts, Christmas and birthday packages, bonuses and allowances to employees without legal basis, and excess payments to suppliers and contractors.
The COA also noted that the disallowances have been pending for over a decade, with some of them dating back to 2008. This is because the respondents have been filing multiple appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court in an attempt to get the disallowances lifted.
The COA has warned that the continued non-payment of the disallowances could hurt PhilHealth’s financial health. The corporation is already facing a financial crisis, and the outstanding disallowances could further strain its resources.
The COA has called on PhilHealth to take immediate action to settle the disallowances. The corporation should also review its policies and procedures to prevent similar irregularities from happening in the future.
Source: PhilNews24 | September 13, 2023
