'No hanky-panky,' Ilonggo Tricare doc swears on Iloilo dealings
The billboard of Global Medical Network bearing its
Tricareaccredited doctors.
Four years into his medical practice, almost three years of which as a Tricare physician, Internal Medicine Specialist Dr. Felix Ray Villa speaks up on the controversy. And he will stand by his practice, he vowed, and will stand by his 'boss,' Dr. Evangeline Johnson and two other Tricare doctor-colleagues – Dr. Robert Jacobo (Family Medicine) and Internist Dr. Cherry Lee. Their group is known as the Global Medical Network (GMN), accredited by Tricare in November 2005. As far as he knows, it is only them four now who cater to Tricare patients in Iloilo.
Villa gave an estimated 100 families all over Panay Island who are GMN enrollees. It was not immediately clear how many dependents are also included as he downplayed the figures pointing out the thousands in Olongapo and elsewhere.
Tricare is a comprehensive health insurance program of the United States Government for military retirees and dependents including Filipino-American war veterans.
In his words, "we are not doing anything wrong… we go by the Tricare guidelines... our legitimacy was duly-endorsed."
Villa is head of clinics at Saviour International Hospital in Molo, Iloilo City, formerly the Riverfront International Hospital that was excluded and terminated by Tricare.
Riverfront International Hospital was formed by Health Visions Corporation (HVC), its top executive Thomas Lutz pleaded guilty to 33 counts of defrauding the US Government with paid HVC Tricare claims reaching over $163 million till its discovery.
Villa in defense of himself and his group said, Saviour International Hospital is not HVC and it was just purportedly unfortunate that Dr. Johnson bought Riverfront International Hospital faced with an unsavory past.
"As far as I know, the legal dispute has been settled," Dr. Villa added referring to the then highly-celebrated hospital 'take-over'. "Dr. Johnson was totally unaware of the in-fighting at the HVC then."
Yet asked on the scam that HVC was heavily-involved, Dr. Villa admitted, "yes, Dr. Johnson and us were aware of it. Everybody was talking about it."
As an added background, Dr. Villa speaking for and in behalf of Johnson explained that it was in September 2006 when HVC's Janice Thicke made the offer. The legal dispute followed thereafter with the son of HVC president Dennis Thicke challenging claims of ownership made by Janice, his father's third wife.
"Riverfront International Hospital here never got to operate because of the dispute, then Dr. Johnson took over as Saviour International Hospital with Janice Thicke no longer part of the operations. Ginbakal gid ni 'ya, wala gina-lease ah. (This was really bought and not on-lease)," he stressed.
Incidentally, a Philippine Daily Inquirer report (PDI, April 28, 2008) disclosed of similar concerns in Olongapo City where one clinic blacklisted by Tricare is back in business by simply changing its business name.
"We are legitimate," he added while sharing how no less than an Embassy Warden of the United States Embassy in Manila and two other supposed top US government officials visited Saviour International Hospital in the past.
Pressed for details on the Tricare practice of his group, Dr. Villa explained, "they go to us, we do not charge them but only the cost-share which is not really fixed and not payable outright too."
Saviour International Hospital following its operations in January 15, 2007 prominently displayed a huge billboard advertising its Tricare services. The hospital got its official accreditation only in December 2007. Dr. Villa was quick on his explanation.
"We had problems getting our accreditation. We thought it would only take us two months or so but then nagkaproblema (we encountered problems) because of HVC. But it is all okay now because retroactive man ang (the) approval of claims. At that time, our Tricare patients will have consultations at Global Medical Network then admitted to Saviour as private patients," he said.
And does the system work now?
"Yes. It does work. I admit fellow doctors are skeptical about what we are doing but I understand that. I understand their hesitations. They think that we are still operating as HVC but no, we are not. Dr. Johnson has a lot to lose because she herself is a beneficiary. Did you know that she was a US Army Captain and a military doctor?," Dr. Villa said. "We are sure that what we are doing is the right thing."
Asked on reports that Global Medical Network or Saviour International Hospital is under investigation, Villa quipped, "I don't believe that. If indeed what we do is wrong here then by this time they could already be after us. We are not under investigation and there is no reason for that."
Dr. Villa was not so inclined to recommend Tricare practice to fellow doctors though saying "it is a long investment" that entailed shelling out personal money.
"But if they are willing to wait that long… I am told it would take at least five years for me to actually feel the benefits. Tricare though is only the 'icing-on-the-cake- for my practice," he said in jest. "And in Saviour, the bulk of our patients are non-Tricare too."
"This is our chance to prove that Saviour and Global Medical Network is not out to do hanky-panky. Our chance to clear our names because there were allusions to us. Oh well, time will tell," Dr. Villa ended.
Meantime, with United States (US) Government reporting at least $100 million swindled by Filipino doctors from the health care program, Tricare and US Federal agents are working on the case with the Philippine Government.
Such, as at least five years of investigation and continued revalidation led to the indictment of 37 in the Philippines. Seventeen have been arrested thus far, 20 more to go with arrest warrants out on the yet to be publicized subject-doctors and conniving retirees.