House bill to let President halt PhilHealth premium hike in emergencies OK’d on 2nd reading

The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on second reading a bill granting the President the authority to suspend the scheduled increase of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) premium payments and adjust the period of its implementation during national emergencies or calamities, or when public interest so requires.

House Bill 6772 grants the authority to the Chief Executive, provided that the action is recommended by the PhilHealth Board.

“While PhilHealth only aims to fulfill and remain faithful to its mandate, imposing a higher premium to Filipinos in these current conditions where most of them are grappling with the pandemic will definitely enforce a new round of financial burden to its members. Our countrymen have barely recovered from the losses and difficulties brought by COVID-19. Most livelihood, businesses, and other sources of income have not reopened yet, and many Filipinos remain unemployed. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself supported the calls to defer the increase in PhilHealth premium contributions,” the explanatory note on the measure read.

“Suspending the imposition of the new PhilHealth premium rates will provide a much-needed relief during national emergencies or calamities and will assure Filipinos that the government is sensitive to their sentiments in this difficult time,” the bill added.

The principal authors of the bill include Speaker Martin Romualdez of Leyte and House Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe of Zamboanga City.

PhilHealth is supposed to implement a 4.5% increase in premium contributions for 2023.

Based on the premium contribution table for direct contributors released by PhilHealth, those earning P10,000 and below must pay P450, while those earning P10,000.01 to P89,999.99 must pay P450 to P4,050. Those earning P90,000 and above, for their part, must pay P4,050.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, by the order of the President, earlier issued a memorandum that provides for the suspension of the scheduled increase in premium rate and income ceiling for 2023 due to prevailing socio-economic challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. — BM, GMA Integrated News