House panel approves bill empowering Marcos to suspend Philhealth contribution hike

A House Committee on Wednesday passed the bill empowering President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to suspend the contribution hike in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) amending the Universal Health Care Act (UHCA).

The House Committee on Health approved House Bill (HB) No. 6772, which will allow the President to suspend the increase in premiums of “direct contributors” to PhilHealth, including employees.

During the deliberation, PhilHealth Senior Manager Rex Paul Recoter said that Philhealth supports the legislative measure granting the President of the Philippines the power to suspend and adjust the implementation period of the scheduled Philhealth premium increase.

Whereas the implementation will only be allowed “in the events of the state of national emergency, public health emergency or national calamity for this measure gives Filipinos a relief from any financial burden during a difficult time.”

“However, suspending the Philhealth increase due to public interest should be carefully sought off, please consider that Philhealth is a social health insurance program that also depends on the premium contributions of its members to sustain its programs,” Recoter noted.

Moreover, the mandated increase shall be implemented upon the lifting of the national emergency or public health emergency, or national calamity. All subsequent increases in premium rate and income ceiling shall be implemented in succeeding years accordingly,” Recoter added. —VAL, GMA Integrated News