Marcos Jr. studying suspension of hike in PhilHealth rates premium hike

MANILA, Philippines —  President Marcos is studying a proposal to suspend the implementation of the five percent increase in premium rates of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) this year, Malacañang said yesterday.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa recommended the suspension to Marcos, saying it will not affect the health insurer’s financial standing.?

“The President is studying the request,” Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a text message to journalists yesterday.?Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act of 2019 provides the schedule for the increase in PhilHealth contributions starting in 2020 at three percent.

It was followed by 3.5 percent in 2021, four percent in 2022, 4.5 percent in 2023 until it reaches five percent in 2024.?At a media forum yesterday, Herbosa said he recommended to Marcos “to start at where it was suspended.”?“If we stopped at two or three percent increase, we start at where it was suspended. That for me is the logical way to lift the suspension,” Herbosa said.?“We don’t jump to a very high (rate) because people will suffer,” he added.

Herbosa said that PhilHealth has enough money to sustain its benefits to members.“It will not be hurt by delaying the increase in the premium,” he said.Last year, Marcos deferred the scheduled hike in PhilHealth premium rates from four to 4.5 percent and income ceiling from P80,000 to P90,000, citing “socioeconomic challenges and difficult times.”?Earlier, the health insurer said the premium rate increase would affect members whose salaries range from P10,000 to P100,000. Members earning P10,000 per month will be required to contribute P500 to PhilHealth while those whose monthly salary ranges from P10,000.01 to P99,999.99 will be deducted from P500 to P5,000. PhilHealth is expecting an additional P17 billion in revenues from the increased premium rates. – Mayen Jaymalin, Marc Jayson Cayabyab