How Is PhilHealth Faring as a Purchaser of Health Services?

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This Policy Note analyzes the role of PhilHealth as a purchaser of health services on behalf of its members. It investigates this role in terms of three relationships: between PhilHealth and members, between PhilHealth and service providers, and between PhilHealth and the government. It measures purchasing performance using a set of standards formulated by health systems analysts from Asian and African countries. To improve its relationship with the three groups of stakeholders, some recommendations are given. For example, PhilHealth should establish effective mechanisms to listen to complaints, views, and reflections of its members. It should also relax its accreditation process for health facilities running public health programs with significant impact on poor Filipinos (e.g., TB-DOTS).