The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) maintained that the Php15 billion pesos allegedly stolen by former officials have been liquidated.
In a statement posted on Facebook on Saturday, the state health insurer reported that 98% of the Php15-billion advanced payments under its Interim Reimbursement Mechanism or IRM funds have already been accounted for.
Philhealth said the money went to at least 711 hospitals as subsidy and to augment their needs during the pandemic.
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“Properly accounted ito. Sa katunayan ay P14.7 billion o 98% na ang na-liquidate o naisulit na ng mga ospital, katunayang pinakinabangan ito ng mga pasyente at hindi ng bulsa ng sinoman,” PhilHealth said.
According to the agency, IRM is defined as”a special privilege for the provision of substantial aid to an eligible Health Care Institution directly hit by a fortuitous event with clear and apparent intent to continuously operate and/or rebuild the HCI in order to provide continuous health care services to adversely affected Filipinos.”
The agency was under fire over massive corruption allegations that resulted in a Senate investigation last year.
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The IRM system has been suspended and was put under review following congressional inquiries.
The said investigation led to the resignation of former PhilHealth president Ricardo Morales.
A whistleblower has claimed that the PhilHealth “mafia” composed of the agency’s executives stole the Php 15 billion funds. (RA)
