The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is set to implement a higher premium rate for its members starting June in accordance with the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.
“What should be the premium contribution rate for calendar year 2022...As of 2022, the premium rate is four percent, the income floor is P10,000, while the income ceiling is P80,000,” said PhilHealth Senior Manager for Formal Sector-member Management Group Rex Paul Recoter in a forum on Wednesday, May 4.
“So, the monthly Philhealth contribution by each individual shall be P400 for those earning P10,000 while the annual premium shall be P4,800. For those who are earning the ceiling is P80,000, the monthly PhilHealth contribution shall be P3,200, while the annual PhilHealth contribution shall be P38,400,” he added.
This new contribution rate is expected to be implemented next month, said Recoter.
“For employers and self-paying members using the Electronic Premium Remittance System (EPRS) and the PhilHealth Member Portal (PMR), respectively, the adjusted premium rate of four percent shall take effect for contribution payment for the applicable month of June 2022,” he said.
“Direct contributors who have already paid for their contributions at three percent are to settle the one percent premium rate differential until Dec. 31, 2022 without interest,” he added.
Billing statements, meanwhile, will be issued to those non-EPRS users and those who have not registered in the PMP. "Payments shall only be at the nearest PhilHealth Local Health Insurance Office," said Recoter.
Based on the UHC Law, the premium rates "will gradually increase" by 0.5 percent every year. This gradual increase started in 2019— wherein the premium rate was at 2.75 percent until it reaches the five-percent limit in 2024 and 2025.
In 2021, PhilHealth suspended the hike in the contributions of its members in order to "ease the burden on many Filipinos being affected by the pandemic."
The state health insurer then noted, in a statement, that the "interim arrangement” will only be good “until Congress is able to pass a new law allowing the deferment of the scheduled premium adjustment" in the UHC law.
However, the lawmakers has yet to pass a law to allow the defernment of the scheduled adjustment in the contribution rate, said Recoter.
“There now pending legislative bills on the suspension of increase. The House of Representatives has already approved the suspension of premium increases. However, in the Senate, it is remained pending under Senate Bill No. 2097,” he said.
“As of now, we are collecting the three percent. But since hindi natuloy yung deferment or suspension of the increase ng Congress...walang batas na lumabas, PhilHealth is now obliged, under the UHC Act, to collect the four percent for the year 2022,” he added.
PhilHealth is currently coordinating with the different stakeholders with regards to the matter.
“In preparation for the reinstating, what is written in the law—the four percent—we have been meeting with the different stakeholders last week— the labor groups, employer groups, professionals, and several others, to give them updates and inform them on the hike before we come up with a public advisory on this,” said Philhealth Vice President for Corporate Affairs Shirley Domingo.