At least 60 lawmakers filed on Tuesday a proposed joint resolution for a one-year deferment of the hike in premium contributions of members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.  

If adopted by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, Joint Resolution No. 33 will hold at bay the implementation of Section 10 of Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act that mandates a 3.0% to 3.5 increase in premium contributions of direct contributors  for 2021.

It also will provide the legal backbone to support President Duterte’s directive for Philhealth to defer the implementation of the law.

Responding to a strong public clamor, Duterte ordered Philhealth to put on hold the implementation of the premium adjustment, saying that he will “look for money” to fill up the unrealized revenue.

Lawmakers led by Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor noted that RA 11223 was enacted  in 2019 when the “once in a century pandemic” has “not yet ravaged the world’s economies.”

Aside from Defensor, other authors of the legislative measures include Reps. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. (NUP, Cavite); Elizaldy Co (Ako Bicol Partylist); Claudine Bautista (Dumper-PTDA Partylist); Robert Ace Barbers (NP, Surigao del Norte);  Aleta C. Suarez (Lakas-CMD, Quezon); Fredenil H. Castro (Lakas-CMD, Capiz); Resurreccion Acop (NPC, Antipolo City);  DV Savellano (NP, Ilocos Sur); Tonypet Albano (NUP, Isabela); Jose Enrique Cueva III (NUP, Bataan); Ramon Nolasco (NPC, Cagayan) and Hector Sanchez (NPC, Catanduanes),

JR 33 cited the pandemic’s adverse effect to the economy as a strong reason to justify the deferment of the effects of Section 10 of RA 11223.

“Whereas, due to the COVID 19 pandemic and the stringent lockdown enforced to prevent the spread of the disease, the Philippine unemployment rate at one point hit a 15-year all-time high of 10.4 percent and about 4.5 Filipinos became jobless in 2020,” authors of the resolution said.

According to them at least 14.4 workers employed by the private sector and 3.6 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are all registered direct contributors of Philhealth have absorbed the effects of pandemic.

“Whereas, the rough estimate is that Philhealth will be postponing less than P500 million worth of incremental premiums on an annual basis from direct contributors, which is certainly a big reprieve for Philhealth members who have lost their jobs during the pandemic,” explained the solons.

They stressed that to cover the unrealized contribution, Philhealth “can always dip into its reserves” if it finds itself facing an “extreme situation where claims and administrative expenses might exceed contribution collections during the pandemic.”

Defensor aired the optimism that the legislative proposal will get stronger bipartisan support as soon as it is entered into the legislative process.