PhilHealth forges ties with PRA on foreigners coverage

To help promote the country as a retirement haven, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) will soon provide health care benefits to foreign nationals and former Filipinos.

PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Alexander Padilla said they recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) on this thrust.

Under the MOU, PRA will facilitate the enrolment of foreign nationals under the informal economy member-category of PhilHealth.

“We intend to cover every Filipino, whether they are retiree or not, even foreigners. I think PRA will help us gain 100 percent coverage which is PhilHealth’s mandate,” Padilla added.

PRA general manager and chief executive officer Veredigno Atienza, said PhilHealth’s support will help them “attract more foreign nationals to permanently reside, retire and invest in the country.”

PhilHealth and PRA are set to meet next month to establish a technical working group that will work on the details of the agreement provisions that will form part of its implementing rules and regulations.