Contribution hike means expanded, sustainable benefits –Philhealth exec

The increase in the contribution rate of members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. will ensure that healthcare benefits of all Filipinos will be sustainable and extensive.

Starting this month, the premium rate of PhilHealth members will increase to 3.50% of monthly basic salary from 3.00% in 2020. 

Contributions of employed members shall be equally shared between employees and employers, while those of self-paying members, professional practitioners and land-based migrant workers and other direct contributors with no employee-employer relationship are computed straight based on their monthly earnings and paid wholly by the member.

Under the Universal Health Care (UHC) law, premium rate shall increase to increments of 0.5% every year, starting 2021 until it reaches the 5% limit in 2025.

While PhilHealth recognizes that the country is currently facing a pandemic, the state insurer said it is bound to implement the UHC law.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, PhilHealth spokesperson Rey Balena said that premium hike is necessary to ensure the sustainable funding for the universal healthcare program, which automatically enrolled all Filipinos into the National Health Insurance program.

“Masu-sustain at mapapalawak pa ang current level ng benefits na tinatamasa hindi lang sa ‘yan sa hospitalization pati sa out-patient po,” Balena said.

“Kailangan i-adjust ang premim contribution para ma-sustain ang benefits. Ang gusto po ng UHC Law ay hindi po maging stagnant ang level of benefits dapat ‘yan ay lumalawak at sumusunod sa pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan,” he said.

“Kung hindi magko-contribute ay maapektuhan ang sustainability ng ating mga benepisyo. Sana malaman ng mga miyembro na ito po ay investment, ito po ay financial protection,” he added.

The PhilHealth official said the state insurer will implement the assignment of every Filipino to a primary care provider of their choice.

“Ilulunsad na ngayong taon... na ang bawat [member] ay iaassign na ng PhilHealth sa bawat primary care provider na pipiliin natin. Magkakaroon na po ng palagiang titingin sa lagay ng ating kalusugan hindi na po mangyayari ‘yung sinapit sa nakaraan na may mga kababayan tayong namatay hindi lang natignan ng doctor,” Balena said.

“Itinakda po ‘yan sa UHC law, ibig sabihin meron pong primary care provider at naka-assign po tayo sa kanila at ang pananagutan nila ay tignan po ang ating kalusugan,” he said.

According to PhilHealth the assignment of every Filipino to a primary care provider initially in pilot areas in each region will be called “Konsulta  or Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama.”

The primary care providers under  Konsulta will act as patients' navigator, coordinator and their   initial and continuing point   of  contact   through the   health care delivery  system.  —LBG, GMA News