‘Arrest owners of dialysis center’
Credit to Author: CATHERINE S. VALENTE, TMT| Date: Sat, 08 Jun 2019 16:18:21 +0000
Duterte orders NBI to probe scam
President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the arrest of the owners of a private dialysis center who were implicated in the so-called “ghost dialysis” scam.
The President issued the directive following reports that Quezon City-based WellMed Dialysis and Laboratory Center Corp. (WellMed) demanded dialysis payments from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) for clients who had died.
In an interview aired over Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s television show on Saturday, Duterte said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) would make the arrests and lead the investigation.
“The NBI should take over by tomorrow and start to summon everybody and the owners of that ‘Wellness’ thing there, where these fraudulent claims were discovered, arrest them. That is my order. Arrest them,” he said.
“Arrest them and investigate them right away. No ifs, no buts. If a lawyer attempts to interfere, tell him it’s my order,” he added.
The dialysis scam also prompted Duterte to consider a reshuffle at PhilHealth.
The President said he wanted to know if PhilHealth implemented a screening system to deter fraud.
“Because if none, then we have fallen short of our duty to really protect the money,” he added.
However, the President clarified that he did not have the “slightest doubt about the integrity and honesty” of PhilHealth acting chief Roy Ferrer, noting that he was among those who had been seeking the prosecution of those who abuse Philhealth privileges.
“I don’t know if doctors are involved. They are charging, overcharging or charging for nothing para ring (that’s like) ghost deliveries,” Duterte said.
He warned that government officials found to be involved in the scam would also be punished.
“Totoo talaga ‘yan. Marami talaga ang (That’s really true. There are so many) — I don’t know, but marami talagang may sakit na nakikinabang sa (there are so many people who benefited from) PhilHealth. But the sheer amount na P100-something billion (that is around P100 billion) is totally, totally unacceptable to me,” he added.
But the President warned that government officials found to be involved in the scam would also be punished.
“At this time, I do not have the evidence or proof, so I am not in a position to say that there’s government men involved. Pero ‘yung mga hospital nagcha-charge na maski wala na ‘yung pasyente o ‘yung mga dialysis patients, ‘yun sila ang nagfa-file ng fraudulent claim (But those hospitals that filed fradulent claims) sila ‘yung unahin ko (I will go after them first),” Duterte said.
The President had ordered Ferrer to submit a detailed report on the alleged irregularities at PhilHealth, and to file criminal charges against all those involved.Ferrer said there might be a “mafia” in the state insurance fund targeting him because of his focus against fraud
He said 38 employees, some middle managers, had been suspended for various offenses.
Reports said Edwin Roberto and Liezl Santos, former employees of WellMed in Novaliches, Quezon City, claimed that PhilHealth continued paying for the dialysis of dead patients without checking the validity of the claims.WellMed has denied the accusation.
More scam?
Meanwhile, Senator-elect Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go called on PhilHealth to “expedite its investigations on this issue and strengthen its mechanisms to end these forms of fraudulent acts.”
“I commend the immediate filing of charges against the perpetrators but we should not stop until those guilty of such fraudulent acts are held accountable for their actions,” Go said in a statement.
Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd on Saturday said he would raise the kidney treatment scam when the 18th Congress tackles the budget of the Department of Health.
In a text message, Sotto said he was tipped about a urologist in South Cotabato who collects money from PhilHealth fraudulently.
He said the doctor pays recruiters to hire PhilHealth members, who are not really ill, but who will be confined in the hospital.
The doctor, Sotto said, would connive with the hospitals he was affiliated with, particularly the St. Louis Hospital, Allah Valley Medical Specialists’ Center, Dr. Arturo Pingoy Medical Center, and St. Louis Medical Clinic and Hospital to collect from PhilHealth the supposed expenses incurred by the bogus patients.
The Senate chief said the hospitals get a share of the money.
An administrative complaint had been filed against the doctor, he added.
Sotto said there were other alarming issues with PhilHealth, including the claims of pneumonia patients that reached P5.4 billion from January to June in 2018.
The Senate chief said PhilHealth declared pneumonia as its “top disease” last year. It was estimated that claims for pneumonia hit P10.8 billion last year.
“With this very alarming number, why have they not declared a pneumonia outbreak? Can we say that these are all legitimate claims? P10 billion puro pneumonia?” Sotto asked. With Javier Joe Ismael
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