By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Legal counsel for the Bacolod Our Lady of Mercy Specialty Hospital yesterday clarified the Negros Healthcare Management Systems, Inc. (NHMSI) was not in any way involved in the fraudulent activities resulting in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) denying accreditation last week.
Atty. Rafael Ocampo made the clarification after another newspaper reported otherwise, indicating the allegations were committed by the hospital’s former owner, Tiong Bi, Inc.
“It is misleading [using] the word ‘convicted of fraudulent acts,’” Ocampo said.
Ocampo pointed out NHMSI was never convicted on any fraudulent acts, adding NHMSI is not connected with Tiong Bi, Inc.
PhilHealth legal counsel, Atty. Dennis Guevara, corroborated Ocampo’s statement, stating the said activities were committed in 2014, prior to NHMSI taking over management of the hospital.
Guevara noted, the case pertains to the padding and filing of claims with incorrect information.
“Despite the change in management, whatever is the decision will be applied,” Guevara said.
Last week, the Bacolod City government and officials from the Bacolod Our Lady of Mercy Specialty Hospital and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) drafted a resolution allowing the facility to remain open until July 30
NHMSI has since filed a motion for reconsideration with the PhilHealth central office in Manila regarding the accreditation.
Earlier, in a letter from Gregorio Gustilo, Jr. of the Negrense Dialysis Group to President Rodrigo Duterte, he urged intervention from the national government, saying the hospital’s closure would cause suffering in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.
In addition, the local chapter of workers’ rights group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) claimed closure would lead to “unexpected starvation.”
Last year, a congressional hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability revealed some hospital physicians allegedly collected excessive amounts in PhilHealth claims for unnecessary procedures, with the Our Lady of Mercy Hospital in Bacolod City named as one of the involved hospitals.
According to a PTV report, doctors at the said hospital allegedly recommended patients undergo cataract surgery even if it was not necessary./DGB, WDJ
