THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday expressed support to a bill that will result in the reduction of its members’ premium contribution rates, among others.
In a statement, the DOH said it is looking forward to the passage of the House Bill No. 11357 or the “Act Strengthening the Philippine Healthcare System to Achieve Efficiency and Equity, and to Improve Public Health Emergency Preparedness.”
“Among the key features of the House-proposed amendments to the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act is the premium contribution rates for all PhilHealth members will be set to 3.5% from the current 5% rate,” said the DOH.
“With strong support from the Department of Health (DOH), the House of Representatives passed it on second reading. We look forward to seeing this measure become law soon,” it added.
The Senate counterpart bill was passed on final reading in August last year.
Under the House bill, the PhilHealth premium contribution rate will be adjusted on an annual basis based on actuarial studies to be reviewed by a non-government, impartial, and credible independent body, and approved by Congress during the budget process.
Another feature of the bill is that migrant workers will no longer have to pay any premium, as their employers will be required to shoulder 50 percent of what their due is while the national government shoulders the rest.
The DOH also noted that administrative expenses, including salaries, will now be a maximum of 7.5 percent of its total benefit payments from the previous year, instead of 7.5 percent of its total premium collections.
It also noted that the bill provides that component cities and municipalities may now establish and/or maintain their own Special Health Funds, with guidelines to be developed by the DOH in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management and the UHC Coordinating Council.
The DOH also said the measure states that a new UHC Coordinating Council will be formed with existing officials as members, co-chaired by the Secretary of Health and the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government.