Solon seeks temporary halt to PhilHealth premiums for minimum wage earners

House Appropriations Committee Senior Vice Chairperson and Marikina Representative Stella Quimbo on Tuesday called for a temporary suspension of Philippine Health Insurance Company premiums for minimum wage earners.

Quimbo, who made the call under her House Resolution 1595, said the temporary suspension of PhilHealth premium payments for both employed and self-employed minimum wage earners would pave the way for the utilization of the unspent appropriations allocated to PhilHealth for premium subsidies.

Quimbo explained that in 2022, Congress appropriated P80 billion to subsidize PhilHealth premiums for indigent families, senior citizens, and persons with disability.

However, P24 billion of the subsidy remained unspent.

Quimbo added that Congress again appropriated P79 billion to subsidize PhilHealth premiums for indigent families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities for 2023.

But PhilHealth had yet to spend P39 billion of the P79 billion funding.

“The unspent premium of PhilHealth can very well cover the premium contributions of minimum wage earners for at least a year since in 2022 their premium contribution only amounted to P19.6 billion,” said Quimbo.

“This [measure] will be providing immediate financial relief to the country's economically vulnerable workers, offering an average monthly wage boost of about P400 in the National Capital Region for non-agricultural workers,” she added.

Quimbo also noted that PhilHealth's financial reserves were expected to reach P463 billion by the end of 2023 or a 68% increase from 2022.

“This surplus accumulated from premiums collected from members, as well as subsidies from Congress that have remained unspent, suggests that PhilHealth can afford to suspend premium contributions for minimum wage earners without compromising its stability,” Quimbo argued.

“Habang kayang i-suspend ang pag bayad ng premium ng minimum wage earners, dapat gamitin ang panahong ito para bumuo ng mga pangmatagalang solusyon gaya ng pagpapalawak ng benepisyong pangkalusugan at pagreporma sa premium contribution ng ating mga manggagawa,” she added.

(While we can afford to suspend the PhilHealth premium payments of minimum wage earners, we need to use this opportunity to draft a long-term solution, such as expanding Philhealth benefits and instituting reforms in employees’ contributions.)

Likewise, Quimbo’s resolution seeks to reassess PhilHealth’s benefit packages and the premium contribution rates as provided by the Universal Health Care Law in line with the national government’s goal of expanding social protection, particularly to minimum wage earners.

“This temporary suspension is not just about providing short-term economic relief. The goal is to expand health benefits for all members and potentially reform the contribution structure, or even to possibly eliminate premiums for minimum wage earners and self-employed individuals earning the equivalent of minimum wages,” Quimbo said.

“The aim of the review is to have benefit packages that are designed to prevent illnesses and to provide more support when hospitalized. In the long run, it is cheaper to prevent than to cure. At kapag sapat ang suporta na ibinibigay ng PhilHealth, hindi na hihintayin ng bawat Pilipino na lumala pa ang sakit bago magpatingin sa doktor, dahil kalimitan, ito ang nagpapalobo sa gastusing medikal,” she added.

(If PhilHealth can provide enough assistance, Filipinos would no longer wait until they are terminally ill before they consult a doctor. More often than not, this is what accounts for the expensive medical bills.)

The increase in PhilHealth premium payments took effect last February 14. — DVM, GMA Integrated News