Lady of Mercy loses PhilHealth accreditation

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Following reports the Bacolod Our Lady of Mercy Specialty Hospital will shut down operations after their accreditation with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) was suspended, the Negrense Dialysis Group and the Negros Healthcare Management Systems, Inc. (NHMSI) yesterday forwarded a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte urging his intervention in the looming closure.

“Please, Mr. President, help us by convincing PhilHealth to reconsider its decision,” the letter signed by Gregorio Gustilo, Jr. urged.

He claims the accreditation issue stemmed from a case filed by PhilHealth against Tiong Bi, Inc., the previous owners of the hospital. The document went on to explain NHMSI, the current manager, is a “distinct and separate entity.”

Gustilo said losing PhilHealth accreditation will result in “huge losses” for the hospital, including displacing 231 patients currently undergoing dialysis.

He also called the facility a “hospital for the poor” and said its closure would cause suffering in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.

According to earlier reports, PhilHealth-Western Visayas said the hospital’s application for accreditation as a Level 2 provider was denied due to fraudulent acts.

PhilHealth also reported P25 million, covering March until May of this year, has yet to be paid to the hospital.

The impending closure also threatens the jobs of at least 401 employees./DGB, WDJ
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