Power for Marcos eyed vs Philhealth premium

LAWMAKERS led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez are pushing for the passage of a bill empowering the President to suspend the increase in premiums of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) “direct contributors,” including employees.

In filing House Bill (HB) 6772, Romualdez said the suspension of the adjustment would remove an added financial burden on millions of government and private sector workers, professionals, self-employed and other Philhealth contributors who are still reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The lawmaker said daily wage earners and many employees, who comprise the majority of Philhealth members, would save at least P50 ($0.92 at current exchange rates) a month or P600 (about $11) a year from their health insurance premium payment if the adjustment were suspended.

Those earning more will naturally save more, Romualdez said.

Under Republic Act 11223 (Universal Health Care Act of 2018), contributions will go up this year from 4 percent to 4.5 percent, or from the minimum monthly premium of P400 ($7.34) to P450 ($8.26). The rate will further increase to 5 percent starting in 2025.

HB 6772 aims to amend RA 11223.

The Speaker’s co-authors are: Majority Leader Manuel Jose M. Dalipe; Senior Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos; and, Tingog Party-list Reps. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre.

Law’s intent

UNDER the bill, the President of the Philippines may, upon recommendation of the Philhealth board, suspend and adjust the period of implementation of the scheduled increase of premium rates during national emergencies or calamities, or when public interest so requires.

It would be a new paragraph under Section 10 of the law.

In filing the amendatory bill, lawmakers cited the objective of the UHC Act itself, which is to “ensure that all Filipinos are guaranteed equitable access to qualify and affordable health care goods and services and protected against financial risk.”

The solons said the intent of the law is clear and cannot be overemphasized, saying “Filipinos need and deserve a comprehensive set of health services that are cost effective, high quality and responsive to the requirements of all citizens.

“While Philhealth only aims to fulfill and remain faithful to its mandate, imposing a higher premium on Filipinos in these current conditions where most of them are grappling with the pandemic will definitely enforce a new round of financial burden to its members,” the bill’s explanatory note read.

Barely recovered

ACCORDING to lawmakers, the nation has barely recovered from losses and difficulties caused by the pandemic, as many businesses have not yet reopened and many people remain jobless.

The Speaker and his colleagues stressed that the President himself has supported calls to defer this year’s increase in Philhealth premiums.

They noted that upon the President’s orders, Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin has issued a memorandum suspending the adjustment and income ceiling for this year.

“Suspending the imposition of the new Philhealth premium rates will provide a much-needed relief during national emergencies or calamities and will assure Filipinos that the government is sensitive to their sentiments in this difficult time,” the authors said.

RA 11223 defines “direct contributors” as “those who have the capacity to pay premiums, are gainfully employed and are bound by an employer-employee relationship, or are self-earning, professional practitioners, migrant workers, including their qualified dependents and lifetime members.”

The term “indirect contributors” refers to “all others not included as direct contributors, as well as their qualified dependents, whose premium shall be subsidized by the national government including those who are subsidized as a result of special laws.”