President Marcos has appointed Dr. Edwin Mercado, a US-trained orthopedic surgeon and hospital executive, as the new president and CEO of PhilHealth.
Mercado replaces Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. amid controversy over PhilHealth’s zero subsidy in the 2025 national budget.
The Nagkaisa Labor Coalition has criticized the budget cut, warning of its impact on healthcare access for Filipinos.
Former PhilHealth executive Dr. Minguita Padilla expressed concerns over the insurer’s P600-billion deficit and called for an overhaul of its executive committee.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives approved a bill reducing PhilHealth member contributions and filed another measure to ensure timely reimbursement payments to hospitals.
Source: PhilNews24 | February 5, 2025
