THERE is still time to pass a measure seeking to defer the increase in Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) premium rate, which will take effect next month, if the outgoing administration wants it to suspend it, a militant lawmaker said yesterday.
“We have to suspend it at the very least because the people are experiencing economic hardships these days brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the exorbitant fuel prices. There’s ample time, it can be done if the government wants it,” said Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate.
Zarate said the Makabayan bloc’s Joint Resolution No. 41, which seeks to defer the rate hike, can be approved by Congress next week since it technically still has five days before the 18th Congress adjourns session sine die on June 3.
A joint resolution, if adopted, will have the same effect of a law.
Since PhilHealth Advisory No. 2022-0010 imposes a 3 percent premium rate on all direct contributors, the resolution seeks to freeze the rate at the current 3 percent for the rest of 2022, effectively delaying the contribution schedule as provided under the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act.
“Such premium rate hike will also equate to higher income deductions for wage and salary workers who are struggling with nonstop price hikes of basic goods and services,” the joint resolution said.
Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, a member of the Makabayan bloc like Zarate, said the unabated price hikes affecting workers and the many unresolved issues hounding the state insurer are enough reasons to suspend the rate hike.
Brosas noted that PhilHealth still has a P79.9-billion subsidy under the 2022 budget, which it could tap to augment benefit payments “instead of further squeezing Filipino workers with a higher monthly contribution.”
“PhilHealth remains shrouded in controversy and there’s still no clarification about the unpaid claims of many hospitals worth P25.45 billion. Why allow an agency riddled with corruption to implement an increase?” she said in Filipino.
In January 2021, President Duterte ordered PhilHealth to defer the premium hike because of economic impact of the pandemic but the Finance department later warned against another suspension.
Last month, PhilHealth said the increase will be implemented by next month.
Yesterday, PhilHealth reiterated that the increase is needed to sustain the operations of the state health insurer.
Dr. Shirley Domingo, PhilHealth vice president for corporate affairs, noted the agency spent some P22 billion for COVID-19 response efforts but did not increase the members’ contribution.
“We have to sustain, marami po tayong nakalinya po na benefits for our members (We have a lot of benefits lined up for our members),” she said in an interview with Teleradyo.
Domingo also said the Universal Healthcare Act mandates a yearly increase of 0.5 percent until it reaches the 5 percent limit in 2025.
