BY RAYMOND AFRICA and GERARD NAVAL
SEN. Panfilo Lacson on Thursday said health officials must be made to answer for the “pattern of overpricing” of the Department of Health in the purchase of medical equipment amid government efforts to address the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Lacson and Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon have questioned alleged overpriced purchases by the DOH of medical equipment and services paid for by the Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth), which are vital in the fight against
Lacson and Drilon grilled Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, PhilHealth chairman, and Ricardo Morales, PhilHealth president, in past the days when the Senate Committee of the Whole asked for updates from government officials in connection with the campaign against the deadly virus.
Drilon on Wednesday said government stands to lose some P8.3 billion because of PhilHealth’s “overpayment” to hospitals and testing centers for COVID-19 tests. He said PhilHealth is paying hospitals and service providers P8,150 per COVID-19 test when it can cost less than half.
Lacson questioned the DOH’s purchase of 10 nucleic acid extractor machines, which are used to process COVID-19 tests, at P4 million each when the private sector, he said, bought it for only P1.75 million each. Lacson also questioned the government-procured swabbing system which was priced at $32 each, while the private sector can get it for $16. Lacson said the DOH also purchased personal protective equipment at an overprice.
“They (DOH officials) can always come up with all sorts of reasons but in the end, we see a pattern of overpricing. If it’s only one item, then probably it’s been overlooked or they can reason out a different supplier or manufacturer but it’s a pattern,” Lacson told ANC in an interview.
Duque has said the extractor machine bought by the government for P4 million each was made in the US and it is compatible with the US-made PCR machines used by Philippine laboratories. He said the one priced at P1.75 million was made in China and is not compatible with local machines.
Lacson said he has seen videos showing the Philippine Red Cross using the China-made machine which he said is compatible with at least five other machines, based on his research.
“Fortunately for us the private sector is also purchasing the same items, not necessarily the same brand. But what DOH did was to submit brand-based equipment. Meaning they submitted to the procurement service of DBM the brand they prefer, which is a no-no,” Lacson said.
LOWER RATES
PhilHealth committed to come out with a lower price tag for its COVID-19 test package.
Morales said the agency is reviewing the current package rate.
“As more data becomes available, these rates are under constant review… We will publish new rates as soon as completed,” said Morales.
“The new test rates maybe out next week. (It will be) lower,” he added.
Morales explained that the current rates which are being questioned by Drilon were based by PhilHealth on statements of accounts sent by different hospitals in the earlier part of the outbreak.
He was referring to the PhilHealth packages of P8,150 if all services for the testing are procured and provided by the testing laboratory; P5,450 if the test kits are donated to the testing laboratory; and P2,710 if test kits are donated to the testing laboratory with cost of running the laboratory and the RT-PCR machine for testing included in the facility budget.
“These rates were formulated in the early part of the pandemic based on the statement of accounts collected from different hospitals,” said Morales.
He said though that PhilHealth is yet to reimburse any hospital that have provided COVID-19 tests, except for the P141 million paid to the Philippine Red Cross for tests.
“PhilHealth gave hospitals 120 days after discharge to file claims,” Morales said. — With Gerard Naval
