Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque reiterated the request of President Rodrigo Duterte for PhilHealth to pay private hospitals as some may decide not to renew their accreditation to the government health insurance corporation.

"We will again call (Philhealth) President (Dante) Gierran, what the president repeatedly told him. I know they have discussed it repeatedly to pay them because in times of pandemic, there will be conflict if the private hospitals are not included in the Universal Health Care," he said.

"Universal Healthcare will not succeed without the cooperation of the private hospital, because more services were provided by the private hospital compared to the government hospitals," he added.

Roque explained that 70 percent of the medical health care in the Philippines comes from the private hospitals.

In a radio interview, Shirley Domingo, PhilHealth vice president for corporate affairs said Gierran talked "with the president of PHAPi ( Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc.) twice since last Sunday" to explain their effort to fast-track the payment to hospital claims.

"We receive around 39,000 claims a day and we also pay a big amount of several thousands din of payment a day," Domingo said.

PHAPi head Jose Rene de Grano warned that unless PhilHealth settles its obligations, some hospitals and doctors are eying disengagement, dzBB reported. Robina Asido/DMS