Go: PhilHealth contribution hike may be deferred through Bayanihan 3 provision

Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go on Thursday said the contribution increase for PhilHealth members in 2021 may be deferred through a provision in the proposed Bayanihan 3 law.

"May pandemya tayo ngayon at napakahirap pigain ang mga Pilipino na madagdagan pa ng 0.5 percent dito sa babayaran nila," Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, said in a statement.

"Pwede nating pag aralan na i-amend ‘yung law or i-defer natin ito through a provision in Bayanihan 3. Kung magpasa tayo ng Bayanihan 3, pwede pong ma-identify ng gobyerno doon sa batas kung ano ang pwedeng i-defer muna while nasa pandemic pa tayo," he added.

A Bayanihan to Rebuild as One bill or Bayanihan 3 has been filed in both houses of Congress, but lawmakers have yet to tackle it.

The scheduled increase in PhilHealth contribution is pursuant to Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Law, which provides for the enrollment of all Filipinos in the government's health insurance program and mandates a gradual increase in premium rates from 2.75% in 2019 to 5% in 2024.

The premium rate of direct contributors shall increase to 3.50% in 2021 from this year's 3%, based on the law.

Go said the he would raise the issue to President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Kakausapin ko po si Pangulong Duterte, I will personally appeal to the President na kung maaari, government na lang po ang mag-infuse or mag-augment later on kung saka-sakaling kukulangin ang pera ng PhilHealth," he said.

"We cannot afford also na masakripisyo itong UHC natin dahil lahat ng Pilipino ay miyembro ng PhilHealth sa ilalim ng Universal Health Care Law," he added.

Senator Imee Marcos also said she will be filing a bill to amend the UHC law, which would postpone the forthcoming increase in PhilHealth contribution.

Former senator JV Ejercito, principal author of the UHC, also called for the suspension of the hike, saying the Department of Health (DOH) and PhilHealth may instead request for supplemental funding from Congress.

"Nobody foresaw this pandemic but we included in the UHC a provision that DOH [or] PhilHealth may request Congress for supplemental funding to meet UHC targets," Ejercito said. "I urge Congress to provide additional funding in order to alleviate the financial burden on our people." --KBK, GMA News