Malacaang said Monday that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. had directed the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to halt increases in premium rates and income caps for the calendar year 2023.
Both the press secretary’s and executive secretary’s offices verified this.
According to Section 10 of Republic Act No. 11223, a document with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin’s signature noted the scheduled increases of the premium rate from 4% to 4.5% and the income cap from 80,000 to 90,000 for CY 2023.
“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 Universal Healthcare Law, which required increases in the PhilHealth premium rate until it hit 5% by 2024, is the basis for the planned increase.
One’s P400 contribution will rise to P450 if they make P10,000 per month. Both the employer and the worker share in the contribution.
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“The increase in contribution will help fund additional benefits that we are crafting now,” PhilHealth spokesperson Dr. Shirley Domingo had said.
The Department of Health (DOH) and PhilHealth have announced that the PhilHealth board will be discussing the suspension of the proposed fee hike at their meeting on Wednesday.
The Department of Health has announced that premium funds will be used to fund laboratory tests, free consultation fees, and other diagnostic services as part of the expansion of the Universal Health Care Law, which automatically joins all Filipino citizens (including OFWs) in PhilHealth.
“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.
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