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Marcos: No decision yet to defer PhilHealth premium hike

Philippines | National

Marcos: No decision yet to defer PhilHealth premium hike

By Argyll Cyrus Geducos and Argyll Cyrus Geducos

At A Glance

Marcos said he wanted to see how the increase would benefit the public.

President Marcos said he has yet to decide whether or not to approve the recommendation to suspend the implementation of the five-percent increase in the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.'s (Philhealth) premium rates.

President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Malacañang photo) — President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. (Malacañang photo)

Marcos said this after Health Secretary Ted Herbosa revealed that he had appealed to the President to suspend the said rate hike this year.

In an interview with GMA Integrated News, the President said he first wanted to see how the increase would benefit the public.

"Well, it's all cost-benefit, eh. It's really cost-benefit," he said.

"You’re going to increase it. Show the other side of that. What will be the increase in services? What will you be able to cover, what more will you be able to cover?" he added.

According to Marcos, it was difficult to make an immediate decision since it was "very hard to quantify health."

"Because it's very hard to quantify health. You know? How much is it worth to you? It’s worth different things to different people," he said.

The scheduled increase is mandated under the Universal Health Care Law, which was signed in 2019. It directs PhilHealth contributions to increase until it reaches five percent in 2024.

Premium contribution rose to three percent in 2020 and would have increased by .5 percent yearly until it reached the target. However, PhilHealth suspended the rate hike in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

If the implementation of the premium rate hike this year is not suspended, those earning P10,000 a month would contribute P500.

Related Tags

Bongbong Marcos philhealth contribution PhilHealth PhilHealth premium rate President Marcos

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