PhilHealth’s contribution hike still under review: Palace

MANILA – The implementation of the increase in the premium contributions of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is still under review, Malacañang said Friday.

In a statement, Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. wants to make sure that any increase in PhilHealth’s premium rates will be advantageous to the members.

“The review is still ongoing. The President wants to ensure that any increase in premium will substantially be much more in value in terms of benefits and coverage to Philhealth members,” Garafil said.

Garafil’s statement came the same day when PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. said the Office of the President “pose[s] no objection” to the 5-percent increase in premium contributions implemented in January this year.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa in January asked Marcos to delay the implementation of PhilHealth’s 5-percent premium rate increase as the state insurer has “enough money” to continue giving benefits.

Also last month, Marcos said he is still studying the adjustment in PhilHealth’s premium rates, adding that he wants to see an increase in benefits offered to the members.

Republic Act 1123 or the Universal Healthcare Law mandates the increase in the PhilHealth contribution rate to increments of 0.5 percent every year starting in 2021 until it reaches 5 percent from 2024 to 2025.

Marcos previously suspended the implementation of PhilHealth’s increase in premium rate and income ceiling for the calendar year 2023. /