StayWell resumes service for GHLI patients in RP

Staywell has resumed its operations for the government’s Group Health Insurance patients in the Philippines, according to the NMI Retirement Fund.

Fund administrator Karl T. Reyes said yesterday that the Fund’s third party administrator for its group health insurance program, Hawaii Pacific Medical Referral, has reactivated its contract with Staywell early this month.

Effective Jan. 30 this year, HPMR had terminated its arrangement with StayWell in Manila due to the Fund’s delay in approving an extension on HPMR’s contract for another three months or end of May this year. Since then, the Fund board has formally approved the HPMR extension.

“Staywell has been operating. It was closed for only a day. It reopened the following Monday because we called up HPMR on behalf of two patients and they contacted StayWell and they reopened it,” said Reyes.

Reyes said HPMR has signed a new contract giving it until May 31 to provide services for group health insurance members.

The new contract, he said, provides that if no notification of non-renewal is made 30 days before the expiration date, it would mean automatic renewal of HPMR contract for another three months.

“It works both sides. It’s us or HPMR making a notice 30 days before the date. The absence of any notification means continued operations,” said Reyes.

Meantime, he said the government’s group health insurance privatization consultant, Karen Bauder, has reviewed the proposals submitted by two health providers. He said Bauder has asked the two to provide additional information. He said the two companies have until March 4 to respond to the additional inquiries.

The Governor’s Office has committed to pay Bauder’s contract of $90,000 to help the government in its privatization of the health insurance program.

The Fund issued its Request for Proposal for the privatization late last year. As of Feb. 1, the Fund received only two proposals.

The Babauta administration wants to convert the existing group health insurance program into a privatized, cafeteria-style program, allowing members a selection of health providers to choose from.

The Fund initially moved to terminate its contract with HPMR upon the expiration of its contract in July 2004, but the Fund ended up extending the contract three times due to the Fund’s lack of readiness to go ahead with the privatization.