Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano has accused Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa of politicizing government funds and blocking his ability to refer patients to hospitals. During a fellowship lunch, Cayetano asserted that it is his duty as a legislator to expose problems in the country's health system.
Cayetano claims DOH sources confirm referral ban
Cayetano stated that he has “friends” from the Department of Health (DOH) who told him he can no longer send or refer patients to hospitals. He emphasized his readiness to find other ways to assist patients, even if it means using buses to transport them to hospitals if necessary.
Herbosa's earlier policy on guarantee letters
In January, Herbosa stated that poor patients no longer need guarantee letters (GL) from politicians to obtain medical assistance under the DOH's Zero Balance Billing program. The secretary also said that the use of GLs in government hospitals for the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program is prohibited as part of a new policy this year.
Cayetano criticizes fund utilization
Cayetano also criticized Herbosa, saying the DOH has funds but these are not being sufficiently used for programs such as flu vaccination. He appealed to Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian to focus on the issue of alleged politicization of funds under the DOH.
