B. Braun Responds to Allegations Linking Him to PhilHealth Irregularities
MANILA, Philippines – The company that owns dialysis centers allegedly promoted by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) maintains that it adheres “strictly to the highest standards of integrity in all of its business dealings.”
B. Braun Avitum Philippines, Inc. released this statement because it denied any involvement in alleged irregularities within PhilHealth after the company was mentioned in the Senate investigation into new corruption allegations against the public insurer .
“As a medical technology company with a 180-year global history and serving the Filipino people for 34 years, B. Braun strictly adheres to the highest standards of integrity in all of its business dealings,” t -he declares.
“To B. Braun, [c]compliance is more than just complying with laws and legal requirements. It also embraces the ethical values of integrity, fairness and sustainability, ”he added.
B. Braun Avitum owns and operates 25 dialysis centers in Luzon which treat patients requiring kidney care.
At Tuesday’s Senate hearing, senators questioned the release of 45 million pesos in cash advances to B. Braun Avitum through PhilHealth’s Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM), which was specifically allocated to hospitals treating patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Senator Joel Villanueva said the rapid release of cash advances to B. Braun despite pending cases from the dialysis center at PhilHealth proved that the health insurer had given preferential treatment to some. health facilities.
“I don’t think there is any doubt that there is patronage in PhilHealth,” Villanueva said.
“MRI has now become an ‘Unfair Reimbursement Mechanism’. It is used by PhilHealth for the benefit of certain “blessed” (hospitals), “he added.
Senator Panfilo Lacson also marked PhilHealth’s alleged failure to exercise due diligence when funds released to B. Braun Avitum although it is not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
But the company has maintained that it adheres to “the highest standards of integrity and professionalism” in all of its business dealings.
“During the ongoing pandemic, funds made available through the Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM) to support the operations of all Philippine health facilities (HCIS) have enabled B. Braun Avitum to continue providing services quality kidney disease to dialysis patients who need regular treatment, ”he also said.
“Such treatment should not be interrupted despite the coronavirus situation, because the lives of our patients will be compromised,” he added.
SEC registration
In addition, B. Braun Avitum stated that it was registered with the SEC.
“Our company has been registered with the [SEC] on December 11, 1985 as B. Braun Medical Supplies, Inc. while B. Braun Avitum, a wholly owned subsidiary of B. Braun Medical Supplies, Inc. was originally incorporated as Philippine Renal Care, Inc . on Jan. 24, 2002 (Company Registration Number A200201223) and later renamed B. Braun Avitum Philippines, Inc., ”the company said.
“We are one with the government in its quest for transparency and good governance, and we will cooperate fully in this endeavor,” he added.
/ MUF
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