MANILA – The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) said there will be no PhilHealth premium increase this year. It has instead proposed a gradual but steady incremental increases in its premium contribution schedule to give its members time to adjust.
In a statement Thursday, PhilHealth acting president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. said they are committed to providing financial relief to Filipinos, considering the socio-economic challenges brought about by the pandemic.
Earlier, PhilHealth had affirmed compliance with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s order to suspend this year’s premium rate increase from 4 percent to 4.5% and the income ceiling increase from P80,000 to P90,000.
All Filipinos can be assured of new and bigger benefits this year and in the coming years,” Ledesma said. The premium rate remains at 4% for people percent with an income ceiling of P80,000 this year, after the suspension in the premium contribution increase.
Ledesma said a separate advisory would be issued to provide the guidelines implementing the directive, “particularly for the direct contributors.”
During the Senate Committee on Health deliberations on amending Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act on premium contributions, Ledesma disclosed that PhilHealth is also weighing proposals on setting fixed premium rates for some member categories, esp. in view of the guiding principles of the National Health Insurance Program on Equity and Social Solidarity – particularly on risk-sharing among all income groups.
“These are just some of the provisions that PhilHealth presently reviews as it looks into improving the law, Regardless, we would like to assure the Committee that PhilHealth wants nothing but to serve the Filipino with benefits that are of quality, responsive, and equitable in support of achieving the universal health care goals in our country,” he said.