Senate OKs proposed bill amending Universal Healthcare Act

The Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved a proposed measure amending the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Act.

Voting 19-0-0, senators passed on third and final reading proposed Senate Bill (SB) No. 2620, which seeks to amend Republic Act (RA) No. 11223 including the revision of the premium rates for direct contributors of state insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

SB No. 2620 consolidates proposals from seven bills authored by Senators JV Ejercito, Loren Legarda, Joel Villanueva, Grace Poe, Imee Marcos, Ronald Dela Rosa, Sonny Angara, Bong Revilla, Christopher Go, and Raffy Tulfo.

“Sa pagpasa ng panukala na ito, malapit nang maging ganap na batas ang pinangako natin na mas mababang PhilHealth premium contribution at mas mapalawig pa ang benepisyo nito,” Ejercito, sponsor of the measure, said in his explanation of vote.

(The passage of the measure indicates the nearing implementation of a law lowering PhilHealth premium contribution.)

Under the proposed measure, the PhilHealth premium rate for 2025 decreased from the initial 5% to 3.25%. For 2026, the premium rate would be 3.5%; 3.75% in 2027; and 4% in 2028.

Dental services shall also be part of the essential health benefit package.

Meanwhile, Filipinos with dual citizenship or those who have retained and re-acquired Filipino citizenship will also be included in the beneficiaries of the UHC under the proposed law.

For migrant workers, the proposed measure states that their premium contributions shall be based on the income floor, with the national government subsidizing 50% of it.

However, in the case of local manning agencies shall continue to shoulder 50% of the premium contribution.

Unpaid premium contributions of distressed migrant workers would not be collected upon their arrival in the Philippines and failure to pay PhilHealth contributions shall not be a grounds for the non-issuance of their overseas employment certificates.

SB 2620 also states that unpaid premium contributions of distressed migrant workers would not be collected upon their arrival in the Philippines and failure to pay PhilHealth contributions shall not be a grounds for the non-issuance of their overseas employment certificates.

The national government, meanwhile, will be mandated to shoulder 50% of the premium contributions of migrant workers.

Further, the proposed law authorizes the president to suspend increases in premium contribution rates in the event of a state of national emergency, public health emergency, or state of calamity.

Once enacted, members of the PhilHealth Board will be likewise increased from 13 to 15, which would include three sectoral panel members such as doctors, healthcare professionals, and dentists.

SB 2620 also prevents any portion of the fund, or income of PhilHealth and special health fund, to be transferred to the General Fund of the National Government, or to any of its agencies or instrumentalities, and GOCCs.

PhilHealth will also be mandated to submit management audit reports detailing the policies and reforms to control fraudulent practices as well as fund viability plans to Congress.

The law will also mandate the state insurer to engage a third-party auditor to review its actuarial projections and benefit packages annually. — RSJ/VDV, GMA Integrated News