Philhealth is one of the most recognizable brands in the Philippines. With over 75 years of service, Philhealth has helped millions of Filipinos get health insurance and access to essential care. But how did a government-run health insurer become what it wanted and was changed into what Filipinos desperately need? In this blog post, we will explore the history of Philhealth and how its transformation led to positive outcomes for its customers and employees.
The Philhealth story
Since its inception in 1965, Philhealth has become the most important social welfare institution in the Philippines. From primary healthcare coverage to job placement and housing assistance, the agency has been entrusted with providing essential health and welfare services to Filipinos.
But for much of its history, Philhealth was not what Filipinos wanted it to be. From being an organization that primarily served the elite, Philhealth gradually became more accessible and relevant to the Filipino people. Over time, this transformation created tensions between Philhealth executives and grassroots campaigners who believed that the agency had become too focused on profit rather than serving the public good.
These tensions came to a head in 2009 when Senator Jinggoy Estrada initiated a series of investigations into allegations of corruption within Philhealth. These investigations ultimately led to the resignation of then-CEO Dante Guevarra and widespread public criticism of Philhealth’smanagement.
In light of these events, Philhealth underwent a dramatic transformation under new CEO Risa Hontiveros. Under her leadership, Philhealth shifted its focus from profits to delivering quality services to its users. This change has seen marked improvements in both customer satisfaction rates and financial performance – a testament to Hontiveros’ successful implementation ofPhilhpharm’s new mission statement: “To serve our people well.”
The problems with Philhealth
PhilHealth was created in 1956 to provide medical care to all Filipinos; however, over time, it has evolved into what many Filipinos desperately need but cannot afford.
Philhealth’s original goal was admirable, but it has since become a bloated bureaucracy that wastes taxpayers’ money while ignoring the needs of the people. To fix Philhealth, lawmakers need to look at the agency’s history, assess its current problems, and develop a plan to fix them.
Among the three main components of Philhealth are insurance, benefits, and financing. The insurance part of Philhealth covers medical expenses for employees and their families. The benefits provide food stamps, housing loans, and other financial assistance. The financing part helps individuals and businesses pay for health care.
However, despite its impressive list of services, Philhealth has several problems that it must address. First and foremost is its bloated size. Although it has increased its coverage areas over the years, it now oversees too much territory relative to its resources. It has resulted in inefficient operation and high user and taxpayer costs.
Second is Philhealth’s lack of focus on customer service. For example, customers often have to wait a long to speak with a representative about their policy or claim issues. It not only frustrates customers but also wastes taxpayer time and resources as they
The solution to the problems with Philhealth
Philhealth was created in 1956 to provide primary healthcare for the Filipino people. It became essential to the Philippines’ social welfare system and helped millions of Filipinos access affordable healthcare.
However, over the years, Philhealth has become mired in problems. It is often unable to meet the needs of its patients, has been accused of fraud, and is woefully underfunded. As a result, Philhealth is responsible for high poverty and inequality in the Philippines.
The solution to these problems begins with reforming Philhealth’s governance structure. Currently, Philhealth is controlled by six government-owned corporations (GOCs). These GOCs are often at war with each other, which results in wasted resources and poor service delivery.
It is also necessary to overhaul Philhealth’s funding mechanism. Right now, it gets almost half its budget from federal taxes but relies on donations from private health insurance companies and individuals. This system is not sustainable because it does not adequately reflect the cost of providing health services in the Philippines.
Instead, Philhealth should get its entire budget from mandatory contributions from all individuals and businesses that use its services. It would ensure that Philhealth is adequately funded and able to meet the needs of its patients without having to rely on donations from private companies or individual taxpayers.
The benefits of Philhealth for Filipinos
Philhealth is one of the most critical government programs for Filipinos. It provides various benefits and services to its members, such as free or subsidized healthcare, financial assistance for education and housing, and protection from natural disasters.
The Bureau of Health was established in 1935 to provide health services to rural areas. Philhealth evolved into what it is today, focusing on providing universal healthcare coverage for Filipinos. As its role expanded beyond rural areas, Philhealth has renamed the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) in 1990.
Despite its successful history, Philhealth has been subject to criticism from various quarters over the years. Some have argued that it is bloated and inefficient, while others have charged that it is too costly for taxpayers. Nevertheless, Philhealth remains an integral part of Filipino society and continues to play a vital role in providing essential social welfare and healthcare services to millions across the country.
Conclusion
Philhealth is an institution that Filipinos have been depending on for years now. It has played a very active role in our social and economic development. The Filipinos did not realize that PhilHealth had sinister intentions from the beginning. What started as a welfare program turned into something ominous and destructive. Philhealth has transformed itself from a vital part of our social fabric into one we should be concerned about by becoming what it wants to be. With its recent takeover by the government, we can only hope this will mark a new chapter for the health of our people and the country as a whole.
