Senate Deputy Majority Leader Joseph Victor Ejercito on Wednesday called on newly appointed Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) president and chief executive officer Edwin Mercado to prioritize public welfare and the proper implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) law rather than treating the agency as a profit-driven entity.
Ejercito, the principal sponsor and author of the UHC law, warned Mercado against repeating past leadership approaches that focused too much on financial sustainability at the expense of public service.
He called for PhilHealth to ensure better coverage of hospital and medical expenses for Filipinos, aligning with the UHC law’s goal of reducing out-of-pocket costs for families.
“My advice to the new Philhealth chief: Do not do a ‘Ledesma’,” Ejercito said referring to outgoing Philhealth CEO Emmanuel Ledesma. “His top priority should be public welfare, the implementation of the UHC law instead of treating Philhealth like a private, profit-driven corporation.”
Ejercito said PhilHealth’s coverage of every Filipino’s hospital and medical expenses must significantly improve in line with UHC’s vision of reducing out-of-pocket costs to ease the burden on every family.
“Dapat sulit ang buwanang kontribusyon natin bilang members. Dapat matiyak na mayroong Philhealth na aalalay sa bawat pamilya sa oras ng pangangailangan, at mapawi ang takot na wala silang pagkukunan ng sapat na pera para sa gamutan o pagpapaospital (Our monthly contribution as members should be worth it. It must be ensured that Philhealth will support every family in times of need, and allay the fear that they will not have enough money for treatment or hospitalization),” he said.
The call comes as the agency continues to face scrutiny over issues of accessibility and efficiency in delivering healthcare benefits to its members.
Ejercito is one of the senators who has been calling for a change in the PhilHealth leadership.
Mercado, a US-trained orthopedic surgeon with 35 years of hospital management experience, was appointed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as the new PhilHealth president and CEO on Tuesday.
He previously served as vice chair of Mercado General Hospital/Qualimed Health Network and holds degrees from the University of the Philippines, Harvard Medical School, and the University of North Carolina. (PNA)