LEGAZPI CITY, Albay (PIA) -- The implementation of the mandated increase in Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) members' contribution rate starting next month will enable the state health insurer to carry out the mandates of the Universal Health Care (UHC) law, PhilHealth Regional Vice President Henry V. Almanon said last Friday.
Enacted in 2019, UHC mandates universal health care coverage and benefits to all Filipinos.
"It is necessary to sustain lifetime coverage for poor families, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, low-income individuals without paying contributions and to ensure coverage of qualified dependents without additional premiums," Almanon said during the Kapihan media briefing.
The Universal Health Care Act mandates increases in member premiums by 0.5 percent every year, starting 2021 until it reaches the 5-percent limit in 2025.
This means that from 3 percent in 2020, premium contributions would increase to 3.5 percent in 2021 and 4 percent in 2022, and so on.
Almanon said that this adjustment rate is in accordance with PhilHealth Circular No. 2020-0005 advising all direct contributors for a 4 percent premium rate with an income floor of P10,000 and income ceiling of P80,000 retroactively effective January of this year.
In the said order, all members and employers who have already paid their contributions at three percent are advised to generate the corresponding Statement of Premium Account for the paid periods so they can settle the one percent differential remittances until December 31, 2022.
The supplemental payment shall take effect in both its electronic system and the member portal in June this year.
Reacting to the mixed reactions that the additional contribution has drawn from some Bicolanos, Almanon said: "We recognize the plight of many Filipinos which is why we have deferred the increase in 2021 and waited for the grant of the powers for the President to extend the suspension of increases during national emergencies."
However, since there is no legislation created, PhilHealth is bound to implement the premium hike schedule as prescribed by the UHC law.
In the same briefing, Almanon also reported that Bicol region collected a total of P1.8 billion in contributions in 2021. In benefit payments, the regional office has paid a total of P3.2 billion for 436,000 claims in the same year. For COVID-19 claims, around P444 million was paid for 27,000 patients as of recent posting.
Almanon also appealed to all Bicolanos to support their call for uttermost commitment to quality health service of all the Filipinos in more years to come. (PIA5)
