PhilHealth premiums for OFWs to kick in

CEBU, Philippines - The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) reminds land-based overseas Filipino workers of the premium increase set to be fully implemented in 2014.

In a statement, PhilHealth said that the increase premium will take effect next year after it was deferred in 2012.

It can be recalled that in 2011, the PhilHealth Board approved a new premium rate for land-based OFWs under the Overseas Workers Program at P2,400 per annum which was supposed to take effect last year.

OFWs have been paying P900 per year since 2005 when the Medicare functions of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration was finally transferred to PhilHealth.

However, after several consultations with OFW groups, PhilHealth deferred the full implementation of the new rate to provide ample time for OFWs to adjust.

Instead of P2,400, their annual premium was set to P1,200 per year for 2012 and 2013.

Premium payments of P900 were accepted, but only for coverage of nine months.

The P300 balance, PhilHealth said, will be collected to complete one year's worth of protection when they update their contribution for another one to five years.

OFWs are reminded to settle the P300 balance to avoid lapses in contribution and a possible suspension of benefit entitlement.

PhilHealth also encourages OFWs to pay their premiums for the entire duration of their job contracts abroad to ensure continuity of benefit coverage.

In 2012, PhilHealth's benefit payments covering land-based OFWs and their dependents for local and overseas confinements reached 130.53 percent more than the premiums collected.

PhilHealth added that it also increased its benefit packages with the introduction of benefits for catastrophic cases, and expanded its primary care benefit coverage to include OFWs and their dependents availing of services in health centers and rural health units.  (FREEMAN)