ACT Teachers partylist seeks suspension of PhilHealth contribution increase

ACT Teachers partylist has called for the suspension of PhilHealth contribution increase, according to Mark Salazar’s “24 Oras Weekend” report on Saturday.

“We strongly urge the suspension of the PhilHealth premium hike amid the soaring prices of basic goods, commodities, and services,” said ACT Teachers partylist Rep. France Castro said.

“The hike has already caused the failure of payment of teachers’ loans with their measly salaries barely sufficient for their daily needs following the implementation of the premium hike last June 15.”

PhilHealth earlier advised that the monthly premium contribution be increased to 4% for 2022 as provided by the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.

The increase is retroactively effective in January 2022 and will be collected starting June.

PhilHealth spokesperson Dr. Shirley Domingo said the increase was upon the directive of Malacañang.

“Hence, for CY 2022, PhilHealth resumes implementation upon a directive from Malacañang to proceed with the scheduled contribution rate of 4% and income ceiling of P80,000 starting January 2022,” she said.

“The collection systems are already set for the new rate and ceiling starting with payments remittances for the applicable month of June 2022; while differential payments for January to May 2022 may be paid until December 2022,” she added.

GMA News sought comment from Malacañang on ACT Teachers' call.

PhilHealth said the intention of the premium increase was to expand more benefits.

“The implementation of the contribution schedule will also support the increase and/or expansion in benefits,” it said.

This includes an increase in the covered number of dialysis sessions per year from 90 sessions to 144 sessions and there is also an additional primary healthcare package such as checkups, laboratories, and medicine.

The premium increase is under the UHC law, which mandates that the premium rate shall increase by increments of 0.5% every year starting from 3% in 2020 until it reaches 5%.

The premium contribution was supposed to increase from 3% to 3.5% in January 2021 but was deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Rodrigo Duterte heeded calls to defer the scheduled hike of PhilHealth members’ contribution in 2021 amid the health crisis. — Richa  Noriega/DVM, GMA News