Negros Occ. prov’l gov’t-run hospitals no problem with Philhealth

Hospitals being operated by the Negros Occidental Provincial Government has no problem with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. in the midst of threats by some private hospitals to disengage from Philhealth.

Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said the provincial government is “harmoniously working” with Philhealth and will always keep it that way.

There are 11 district hospitals being operated by the provincial government under Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson.

Several private hospitals affiliated with the Private Hospitals Association of the Phils., Inc. (PHAPI) made public their intentions to disengage with Philhealth due to the latter’s alleged continued failure to pay them reimbursement claims.

Philhealth, on the other hand said it keeps paying but after review of hospital reimbursement claims.

DIAZ ON BACOLOD EOC SAY

Meanwhile, Atty. Diaz reacted to the statement of Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Executive Director Em Ang, that out-of-town patients admitted in Bacolod hospitals contributed to the high admission rate of the city.

Ang also claimed that the high rate was used as basis that Bacolod was placed under Alert Level 4 classification by the National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF).

Diaz, who questioned what was the basis of Ang’s claims, said that as of October 31, only the Bacolod Adventist Medical Center in Bacolod has 100 percent occupancy rate, along with the San Carlos City Hospital.

Records also showed, he said that the Valladolid District Hospital in Valladolid town is at 58 percent, the Cadiz District Hospital in Cadiz City at 90 percent, Valeriano Gatuslao District Hospital in Himamaylan City at 47 percent.

The provincial government-run hospitals has enough bed capacity, he stressed.

Diaz said he believes that local government units may have referred severe cases to Bacolod City-based hospitals because only private hospitals and the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) are licensed by the Department of Health (DoH) to intubate.

Our records also show a decrease in our patients in our hospitals and in quarantine facilities, he said.

“I don’t know where Bacolod City is basing their statements,” Diaz added.

He added that the Provincial Capitol’s Emergency 911 Center “received a lot of distress calls during the long weekend from Bacolod residents.”

“They asked for ambulance because they could not find one. Even a whole family was asking for swab testing because nobody would swab them. There were at least three cases. They were severe cases. They even asked help for their medicines,” he said.

“We cannot say no because this is public health. If it is in Bacolod there is a possibility that it will spread out to other areas outside the capital,” Diaz said.

He also questioned the statements of Ang if such are the official stand of the Bacolod government.

“She already resigned as city administrator when she filed her certificate of candidacy,” Diaz also said, further saying that the provincial government “does not like to blame anyone but helps.”*