PhilHealth extends coverage for disabled parents

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) has decided to extend its insurance coverage to parents below 60 years old but who have permanent disability.

According to PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Alexander Padilla, PhilHealth members may now enroll their parents who are permanently disabled and totally dependent on them as their qualified legal dependents.
As beneficiaries, parents may avail themselves of benefits in any accredited health institution nationwide.

Padilla said this development is contained in Section 3 of the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 10606 or the National Health Insurance Act of 2013.

The law states that “parents with permanent disability, regardless of age as determined by the corporation that renders them totally dependent on the member for subsistence” may now be declared as among a member’s legal dependents.

“We are mandated by law to provide health insurance to all Filipinos and extending the coverage to parents below 60 years old but with permanent disability is an approach to achieve universal coverage,” he noted.

Members who intend to include their disabled parents as their additional dependent will have to submit a medical certificate stating the extent of the disability and the date the disability was acquired.

Padilla maintained that parents below the age of 60 “whose current admission to an accredited health care institution resulted to permanent disability, can immediately be declared as dependents.”

Such confinement shall be covered by the health insurance, provided that prior to discharge, necessary documents have been submitted to any PhilHealth office for evaluation and amendment of the active member’s record.