NY firm expands Philippine BPO operations

New York-based business process outsourcing (BPO) firm EXL has bared plans for a third facility in the Philippines to support the growing demand for healthcare and insurance-related services from clients in the United States.

The new facility will likely be located in Cebu and will complement the two sites EXL operates in the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City.

The main driver for demand, officials said, was the recently passed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in the United States.

The measure, also referred to as “Obamacare,” has resulted in 30 million more Americans getting health insurance. The law also forces healthcare providers to drop the cost of their services.

“There aren’t a lot of places in the world where there is an abundance of US-licensed healthcare professionals,” EXL CEO Rohit Kapoor said Tuesday in a briefing.

“A large percentage of Filipino nurses and doctors are licensed to practice in the US and even have US training,” he said. “That talent pool is very attractive to our clients.”

EXL’s chief strategy officer Rembert de Villa said the US healthcare reform could provide a boom for the Philippine BPO sector, which is trying to grow the higher-value, non-voice side of the industry.

“Companies are seeking to reduce the cost of healthcare. One of the few things they can do is to change the management of processes. Squaring our capabilities to help manage their operations is cost-effective for our clients,” De Villa said.

The company has 1,700 seats in the country, occupied in different shifts by 1,800 workers.

EXL’s Philippine operations revolve around insurance and healthcare office work.