Orthopedic doc named new PhilHealth chief

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PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. has appointed an orthopedic physician as president and chief executive officer  of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said yesterday.

The PCO also released yesterday copies of pictures of Dr. Edwin Mercado taking his oath as PhilHealth before the President.

Mercado replaced Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. who served as head of PhilHealth since November 2022. The PCO did not say why Ledesma was replaced.

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PhilHealth expressed full support for Mercado and thanked Ledesma while the Department of Health welcomed the appointment and said it is looking forward to working with Mercado.

The change in leadership came amid the controversial transfer of P89.9 billion in unused funds of the state insurer to the national treasury, and after its Board of Directors had to veto P37.5 million worth of collaterals proposed for the observance of its 30th anniversary. The agency has also been given zero government subsidy for 2025.

The PCO said Mercado is a “US-trained orthopedic surgeon with 35 years of experience in hospital management.” He has been vice chairman of the Mercado General Hospital/Qualimed Health Network from March 2021 until his appointment to PhilHealth.

He earned his medical degree from the University of the Philippines in 1987, and his Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery from Harvard Medical School in 2023. He also has an Executive Master’s in Healthcare Administration from the University of North Carolina in the US.

The PCO said Mercado did advocacy work with the Zuellig Family Foundation and for centers for health development of the Department of Health. He also provided technical assistance to provincial health boards on operationalizing their healthcare provider network, and taught at the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health on Global Supply Chain, Research Methods, and Implementation Science and at the University of the Philippines College of Public Health on Medical Processes and Programs.

PhilHealth, in a statement, expressed confidence that the agency under Mercado “will continue to successfully carry out the mandate of the National Health Insurance Program and fulfill the aspirations of Universal Health Care.”

PhilHealth expressed gratitude to Ledesma as it said the former chief “spearheaded very important reforms in the last two years, especially in the area of claims payments and benefit enhancements.”

The DOH, in a statement, said Mercado is qualified to head the state-run health insurer.

“Dr. Mercado is actively involved in health economics work (that is) aligned with the Universal Health Care Act,” said the DOH.

HOPE

Sen. Grace Poe said the appointment of a new PhilHealth chief brings hope of breathing new life into the state insurer that “needs healing itself.”

“The official faces a gargantuan task in making PhilHealth shape up to live up to its mandate of providing efficient, reliable and accessible universal health care to all Filipinos. PhilHealth members who now cough up higher premium contributions must feel the benefits of the healthcare system, or at least have a peace of mind that they can rely on it in case of need,” Poe said.

She said the new PhilHealth chief should now settle its “remaining deficiencies” to health workers, hospital, and other institutions.

“We are looking forward to the new PhilHealth leadership and we hope for a more responsive, efficient and just healthcare management,” she added.

Sen. Christopher Go, chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, expressed optimism that Mercado’s background in the medical field “will lead to better PhilHealth management.”

“But regardless who heads the PhilHealth, I am more interested on how PhilHealth will fulfill its pending promises, commitments, and reforms. It is important that its members’ benefits are delivered to the Filipino people,” Go said in a mix of Filipino and English.

Go said Mercado has a big task in PhilHealth, especially that the state insurer was given zero government subsidy this year.

He also thanked Ledesma, whom he has worked with in Senate hearings, for his efforts to improve PhilHealth and the healthcare benefits it is mandated to provide. – With Raymond Africa

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