Marcos orders PhilHealth to suspend premium rate hike —Palace

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has ordered the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to suspend the increase of premium rate and income ceiling for the calendar year 2023, Malacañang announced on Monday.

This was confirmed by the Office of the Press Secretary and the Office of the Executive Secretary.

A memorandum, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, referred to the scheduled increase of the premium rate from 4% to 4.5%, and income ceiling from 80,000 to 90,000 for CY 2023 under Section 10 of Republic Act No. 11223.

"In light of the prevailing socioeconomic challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide financial relief to our countrymen amidst these difficult times, please be informed that the President has directed PhilHealth to suspend the abovementioned increase in premium rate and income ceiling for CY 2023, subject to applicable laws, rules, and regulations," the memorandum read.

The scheduled increase is based on the Universal Healthcare Law, which mandated hikes in the PhilHealth contribution rate until it reached 5% by 2024.

If one earns P10,000 monthly, his or her P400 contribution will increase to P450. The contribution is divided between the employer and the employee.

"The increase in contribution will help fund additional benefits that we are crafting now," PhilHealth spokesperson Dr. Shirley Domingo had said. 

Board to discuss

The  Department of Health  (DOH) and PhilHealth said the PhilHealth board would discuss the suspension of the scheduled rate hike in a meeting on Wednesday.

DOH said the premium contributions would be allotted to the expansion of the Universal Health Care Law which automatically enrolls all Filipino citizens, including overseas Filipino workers, in the state social health insurance PhilHealth, which will have expanded coverage to include free consultation fees, laboratory tests, and other diagnostic services.

“The DOH and PhilHealth recognize the suspension is intended to help our kababayans cope with the increasing prices of commodities caused by inflation,” the agencies said in a press statement.

“Such moratoriums in increases in premium contributions have been done in years 2020 and 2021. This was in accordance with directives of the Office of the President, and in recognition of the effects of the pandemic during those years,” they said. —NB, GMA Integrated News