Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv

MANILA - Many private hospitals may no longer renew their accreditation with PhilHealth due to non-payment of reimbursement claims that has affected their operations.

"Pag hindi naresolba ang problemang 'yan na sinabi namin doon sa aming position paper ay 'yun po ang mangyayari. By 2022, hindi na po sila magre-reaccredit,” said Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc, president Dr. Jose Rene De Grano in a TeleRadyo interview.

(If this problem which we have said in our position paper is not resolved then that is what’s going to happen. By 2022, they will no longer apply to be reaccredited.)

• Duterte: PhilHealth being 'very careful' with delayed hospital payments

In Iloilo, 7 private hospitals namely Iloilo Mission Hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital of Iloilo, Iloilo Doctor’s Hospital, Medicus Medical Center, The Medical City of Iloilo, Qualimed Hospital Iloilo, and Metro Iloilo Hospital and Medical Center Inc have threatened to disengage with PhilHealth after failing to pay them P545 million in hospital claims.

“Noon pa nila ipinarating sa PhilHealth, noong last week pa po at nagkakaroon sana ng pag-uusap pero ang sinasabi ng ating mga ospital ay unless meron silang konkretong solusyon sa mga hinihiling nila ay talagang hindi na muna sila makikipag-usap sa PhilHealth,” De Grano said.

(They already told PhilHealth about this and there was supposed to be talks, but our hospitals said unless there is concrete solution to their claims, they will not talk to PhilHealth.)

Last month, PhilHealth said it has P12.9 billion in unpaid claims which are in different stages of processing.

“Parang napakatagal po, isang taong at kalahati nang nagrereview sila ay hindi namin malaman kung kailangan matatapos 'yun,” said De Grano.

(They have been reviewing for a year and a half and we don’t know when it will end.)

• ARTA urges PhilHealth to simplify review to address backlogs

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered PhilHealth to settle its debt with hospitals as soon as possible as facilities continue to receive more patients as the COVID-19 pandemic continues in the Philippines.

But aside from private medical facilities in Iloilo, De Grano said there are other hospitals which would soon issue their own statements.

“Meron pong mga ospital sa Norte, sa Region 2 na nagsabi po na maglalabas na rin po sila ng kanilang statement at saka yung iba pa po naming mga miyembro hospital sa Mindanao at iba pang parte ng Luzon,” he said.

(There are hospitals in North, Region 2 and our member-hospitals in Mindanao and in some part of Luzon that are about to issue their own statements.)

The delayed reimbursements would be used to cover the salaries of healthcare workers and expand its services.

He said private hospitals remain at full capacity. He added that while there may be some available beds, staff shortage is another issue.

“Marami po kaming kama, available po ang kama pero sino po ang magmamanage sa mga pasyenteng 'yan kung wala naman tayong healthcare workers na available,” he said.

(We have available beds but who will manage these patients if we don’t have enough healthcare workers available.)