'No hike in PhilHealth premium'

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) yesterday assured the public that there is no plan yet to increase its premium, particularly for those who are employed.

PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Dr. Eduardo Banzon said the state health insurer will enhance both the inpatient and outpatient benefits of its members in the next eight months without increasing the premium.

He said PhilHealth will also increase the financial risk protection for indigents through new case rates and the “no balance billing” policy for its Sponsored Program members in government hospitals. 

“We expect government hospitals not to send out our Sponsored Program members to purchase drugs and diagnostics outside the hospital,” Banzon said.

Sponsored program members are those enrolled in PhilHealth after their premiums were paid by local government units, or corporate and individual sponsors.

It also includes the 5.2 million families certified as indigent by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Banzon said, however, that “sustaining the enhanced benefits in general and moving forward with universal health care (UHC)” will eventually require an increase in premium.

“While the sustainability of the benefits we provide under the National Health Insurance Program will definitely require an increase in premium rates, we are of course, taking into consideration several factors including economic challenges, as to when the premium shall be increased,” he said.

At present, the monthly insurance premium of those employed is 2.5 percent of the salary base covering their basic monthly wage.

Half of the required monthly premium is automatically deducted from an employees’ salary while the other half is paid for by the employer.

The amount ranges from P100 per month for those earning P4,999.99 and below, to P750 for those earning P30,000 and above.

The individually paying members (IPMs) earning P25,000 per month and below pay P300 quarterly while those earning above P25,000 pay P600 quarterly.

The members of organized groups under the Kalusugang Sigurado sa PhilHealth Insurance (KaSAPI) pay their premium through their organizations at P1,200 per year under flexible payment schemes.

PhilHealth members under the Overseas Workers Program (OWP) pay P900 per year.