Whoever peddled the yarn that city hall officials led by Mark Monton were involved in the anomalous implementation of the city's Blue Card program? Now, they can start eating crow. The fact that the results of the investigation of the two Sangguniang Panglungsud committees—public accountability and health, did not lead to the doorsteps of Monton only showed that it was pure and simple insinuations. While the investigation was going on, the name of Monton was practically in everybody's lips after Dr. Grace Araneta, medical director of the Medical Mission Hospital, supposedly told the Blue Card investigators that the city mayor's close aide was involved in the anomaly. As one of the accredited hospitals, The Medical Mission Hospital Group was involved in alleged fraudulent Blue Card claims. As evidenced of the hospital role in the Blue Card bloated claims scam, BOD chairperson of the Medical Mission Group Hospital and Health Servives Cooperative or popular as coop hospital, Dr.Maria Grace Araneta informed Mayor Dan Lim through a letter dated November 9, 2007 that they are returning the total amount of P154,793.64 that she said was “over-billed by some of our employees to the Blue Card Program of the city government.

The breakdown includes P6,686.65 for Nemesio Monton, P68,291 for Emma Lou Mercader, P11,000 for Vita Baquero, P11, 586 for Victoria Seno, and P57,030 for Anastacia Bertumen. “The board is exerting all efforts to rectify whatever incorrect assessments there may have been,” Dr. Araneta stated in the letter of which the board resolution granting the reimbursement was attached. The BOD of coop hospital came up with a resolution dated August 22, 2007 reversing the transaction pertinent to the payment of Ama Victoria Mercader's debts through the blue card claims of her sister-in-law Emma Lou (and Baby) Mercader; and returning all the amount involved in the incorrect/overbilled claims to the city government as discussed in July 25 meeting.

The resolution cited the involvement of the coop hospital's former billing clerk, Ama Victoria Mercader. Reportedly, the bill of her sister-in-law Emma Lou and Baby who was admitted to the hospital was jacked up to include her accounts payable to the hospital. The city government paid for the said billing and a refund from the hospital was received by Ama Victoria . That was without the knowledge of the BOD. For this, the BOD members agreed in a July 25 meeting that the amount equivalent to the overbilled claims be returned to the city government and charge back to Ama Victoria , her payables to the hospital that the overbilling had paid off. On the report of the joint Committee on Public Accountability and Investigations and Health and Sanitation of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the inquiries never mentioned the name of Mark Monton who has been dragged along the controversy as the man behind it all, prior to the investigation. The joint committee conducted a series of inquiries on October 15, October 19, and October 24.

The inquiries found out that certain provinsions in the ordinance and the memorandum of understanding have not been complied with, particularly the requirement of the beneficiary masterlist that must be provided by the Blue Card Office to each of the accredited hospitals and reportage requirement to the SP- -both quarterly and annually. It was also found out that there was no comprehensive Implementing Rules and Regulations, and there was loose systems control and reconciliation procedures especially in the processing of claims. Other findings were unclear staffing pattern of the Blue Card Office, too much discretion is left to the hospital administration wherein discretion is not well-defined, nor the limitations which led to abuse in its exercise. Policies or guidelines adopted by the accredited hospitals were not uniform in spite of the similarity in their Memorandum of Understanding. The statement of accounts do not attach very pertinent supporting documents, professional fees vary among the accredited hospitals. There were also non-accreditation of physicians/health professionals, absence of regular monitoring system with accredited hospitals.

The City Health Office, the designated office of the program, does not have enough personnel to attend to all matters relative to the program. The system of accountability is wanting especially with the accredited hospitals, and that a number of those who availed of the program were not indigents, and that there is a need to assess the program and amend certain provisions in the ordinance, the inquiries found out. Based on the findings, the joint committee recommended the Blue Card program to institutionalize its office, with regular employees for accountability and hire staff with medical background and that the administrator should be bonded employee or officer of the city government. Then, set limit of coverage so that more indigents can avail of the program. It has also been recommended that incapacitated children who are wholly dependent upon the head of the family for support, irrespective of age shall be included as dependents of the Blue Card holder, and after the applicant has been qualified, he/she shall be issued with a blue card number without requiring any registration fee. The recommendations will be endorsed to the Committee on Health and Sanitation for consideration and possible amendment of the Revised Code of Administrative Ordinances or the particularly the Blue Card program on the provisions on the definition of the head of the family.

For the Office of the City Mayor, the joint committee recommended the following for inclusion in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Blue Card Program: recommend a prescribed form from the city, strictly for blue card claims; procedures on availment of the program must be posted at conspicuous places with partner-hospitals and City Health Office; an ID must be issued, with expiry date and list of accredited hospitals; visitorial powers of the city- -recommend regular consultations/meeting between partners, with the SP Committee on Health; only the city mayor, through the Blue Card administrator, may issue exemptions in the availment of the program, for humanitarian purposes; signatories must be limited, with their specimen signatures provided to all partner-hospitals; discharge summary of the patient must be submitted, together with the hospital bill; accredit physicians in the accredited hospitals; set limitations on hospitalized expenses; and request the accounting/audit department for recommended procedures in the processing of claims and/or payments.