PhilHealth assures current benefits to continue despite suspension of contribution hike

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) said that the current benefits for its members won't be affected by the suspension of the scheduled increase of its contribution rate this year.
"Despite the suspension ay wala pong magiging epekto sa operations ng PhilHealth, at wala ring magiging epekto sa overall implementation ng National Health Insurance Program," said PhilHealth Corporate Communications Manager Rey Balena on Wednesday, Jan. 4.
"Gusto natin na tiyakin sa ating mga kababayan na bagama’t may suspension sa adjustment ng ating kontribusyon ay tuloy po ang pagkakaloob natin ng benepisyo – wala pong magiging pag-urong o pagbaba o bawas sa current level of benefits po natin," he added.
Balena also said that they understand the decision of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to suspend the scheduled premium hike.
"Atin pong susuportahan ang pagpapatupad ng direktibang ito ng Pangulo sapagkat nakita natin iyong kahalagahan nito," he said.
"Sinabi na ang nilalayon po nito ay para po mabigyan ng financial relief ang milyun-milyon nating mga kababayan; tayo pong lahat ay naapektuhan po ng pandemyang ito, at ang aksiyong ito ng Pangulo ay napapanahon," he added.
On the other hand, Balena said that the suspension may affect the implementation of packages that are set to be rolled out for this year.
"Kung mayroon man ay dito po iyon sa mga bagong benefits na nakatakdang i-rollout po ngayon," he said.
"Malamang ay may mga ilang adjustments na lamang sa implementation ang gagawin po dito," he added.
However, Balena said that these adjustments in the implementation of new packages, if any, will just be "very, very minor."
The PhilHealth official said that they are set to introduce “outpatient benefit package for mental health” and “outpatient benefit package for severe acute malnutrition” this year.
Currently, the state health insurer provides in-patient (hospital charges, professional fees of attending physicians) and out-patient benefits (minor surgeries, radiotherapy, hemodialysis) for its members.
PhilHealth also provides Z benefits (such as for leukemia, breast cancer, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, orthopedic implants) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) package (for malaria, HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis, surgical contraception procedures, animal bite treatment).