Sorsogon Governor and senatorial candidate has issued a twin appeal to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to consider extending the deferment of the increase in premium contributions this year and for lawmakers to pass a legislation that will suspend the scheduled hikes under the Universal Health Care Act, as many members continue to feel the impact of the pandemic now on its second year.
“Nasa gitna pa rin tayo ng pandemya at mukhang matatagalan pa bago magbalik sa normal ang pamumuhay ng mga tao, kaya’t nananawagan ako da PhilHealth na huwag munang magpatupad ng mandatory increase sa kontribusyon ng mga miyembro nito habang wala pang naipapasang batas na mag-aamyenda sa UHC Law,” Escudero said.
“Kung sakaling magpasiya ang ahensya na huwag nang palawigin pa ang pagaantala sa pagtaas ng buwanang kontribusyon, milyong Pilipino ang maapektuhan at tiyak na ito ay magiging dagdag pabigat pa sa kanila,” he added.
Many members of the state health insurer are complaining that payment centers are refusing to accept their premium contributions in the absence of an advice from PhilHealth on the new rate, in accordance with the UHC Law.
In 2021 PhilHealth suspended the scheduled increase in response to President Duterte’s directive to halt the collection of the adjusted rates to ease the burden of ordinary Filipinos reeling from adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
To date, Senate Bill 2097, which seeks to empower the President of the Philippines to suspend the scheduled increases in PhilHealth premium contributions, is up for sponsorship in the plenary. Its counterpart measure in the House of Representatives, or House Bill 8461, was approved on third reading on February 1, 2021 and has been transmitted to the upper chamber.
PhilHealth last year continued to collect contributions from its members using the 3% premium rate schedule for the year 2020. This means that those earning Php10,000 and below in basic salary will pay a fixed rate of Php300 per month, and a maximum of Php1,800 for those whose monthly take-home pay is Php60,000. Under the UHC Law, this should have been adjusted to 3.5% last year.
And for 2022, the scheduled rates should have been adjusted to Php400 (monthly salary of Php10,000 and below) and Php400-P3,200 (monthly salary Php10,000.01-Php79,999.99). Members whose monthly income is Php80,000 and above will have to pay a premium rate of 4%.
“Sana magkaroon ng win-win solution ito sa lalong madaling panahon. Higit kailan man ay kailangan ng mga Pilipino ng health insurance habang namamayagpag pa ang pandemya. Sa kabilang banda naman ay tuluy-tuloy lang ang pagbabayad ng miyembro para makalikom pa ng pondo ang PhilHealth at madagdagan pa ang makinabang sa mga benepisyo nito,” Escudero said, who is seeking a fresh six-year term in the Senate come May 2022 Election.
Under the 2022 General Appropriations Act, PhilHealth’s allocation has been increased to Php80 billion, lower than its request of Php110 billion. Last year, the state health insurer received a budget of Php71 billion on top of some Php100 billion in contributions expected from paying members.