PhilHealth Contribution: Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) backs its contribution increase, stating that doing so will allow them to provide primary care to its members. It may be recalled that the state insurer announced an increase in member contributions with a premium-rate of 3.50% of monthly basic salary from the current 3.0%.
According to the company, the implementation of contribution rate and adjustments in income ceiling is to ensure ‘sufficient funding for the healthcare benefits of its 110 million members as mandated by the Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.’
“The premium adjustment is provided for in Section 10 of the UHC Law and its implementing rules and regulation, the guidelines of which are contained in Circular 2020-005 published by PhilHealth on March 5, 2020,” announces PhilHealth.
It may be also recalled that the increase was first implemented in 2020 under Republic Act 11223 or the ‘Universal Health Care Law’. Premiums will increase to 3.5% in 2021 and will further increase 4% in 2022 (4.5% in 2023, 5% in 2024).
In an article by The Manila Times, it relayed Anakalusugan Representative Michael Defensor’s call to defer the increase. Defensor is proposing to delay the increase by at least six months to allow Congress to pass an amendatory bill. Read more: PhilHealth defends contribution increase, an article by The Manila Times.
“Millions of contributors are daily wage-earners and other workers reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic, like most of our people. PhilHealth should not add to their financial burden at this time,” states Anakalusugan Representative Michael Defensor.
