PRRD says law needed to defer PhilHealth contribution hike: Go

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte skims through a document as he presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members prior to his talk to the people at the Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City on January 4, 2021. ALBERTO ALCAIN/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Monday said President Rodrigo Duterte supports the deferment of the increase in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) contribution rates for 2021 amid the pandemic through a legislation.

“Base sa usapan namin ni Pangulong Duterte, sang-ayon naman po siya na ipagpaliban pansamantala muna ang pagtaas sa rates ng contributions ng PhilHealth habang may pandemya pa tayong kinakaharap. Subalit, alam rin ng Pangulo na kailangan ng batas para maisakatuparan ang deferment (Based on my conversation with President Duterte, he is in favor of temporarily suspending the PhilHealth contribution rates hike while we face pandemic. But the President knows a law is needed to implement the deferment),” Go said in a statement.

Go said Duterte also wanted to make sure that a temporary suspension of the increase in PhilHealth contribution will not affect its services.

“Sinabi niya na kung may maipapasang batas ang Lehislatibo na naglalayong ipatupad ang deferment, o kung may kailangang aprubahan na dagdag na pondo mula gobyerno para hindi maantala ang serbisyo ng PhilHealth, pipirmahan niya ito pagkatapos mapag-aralan ng mabuti (He said if legislators can pass a law to implement the deferment, or for additional funds from government so that PhilHealth services will not be delayed, he will sign it after thorough study),” Go said.

Go appealed to the government finance managers and fellow legislators to highly consider the temporary deferment.

“Nakausap ko rin si Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado at sang-ayon rin siya rito kung kaya’t pinag-aaralan ngayon ng DBM kung kayang ma-augment ng gobyerno ang kinakailangang halaga ng PhilHealth para hindi maapektuhan ng deferment ang serbisyo na dapat matanggap ng mga Pilipino mula sa PhilHealth (I’ve talked to Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado and he supports it so the DBM is now studying if the government can augment the needed funds so that PhilHealth services will not be affected by the deferment),” he said.

He said the government, as a whole, must do its best to unburden Filipinos by shouldering the cost while ensuring that the Universal Health Care law is implemented and the services of PhilHealth are unhampered.

“Since the increase in PhilHealth contributions is mandated by an existing law, specifically the UHC law, we are currently studying possible legislative interventions to pursue the deferment at this time,” Go said.

One option, he said, is to propose an amendatory bill that will specifically address the specific provision in the UHC law mandating the said increase. Another option is to include a provision in the proposed Bayanihan 3 bill that would allow moving statutory deadlines and timelines for payments required by law such as, but not limited, to increase and payment of PhilHealth premiums.

“Whether we amend the law or augment the funds of PhilHealth, let us work together to find a viable solution to achieve universal health care for all without imposing unnecessary burden to ordinary Filipinos during this challenging time,” he said.

Last week, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) announced that it will push through with the collection of higher monthly premiums, which will rise in the new year by 0.5 percent. The present contribution is 3 percent of monthly income.

Under Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care (UHC) law, those who have a monthly basic salary of PHP10,000 and below will have a fixed contribution of PHP350 a month starting January 2021. Those earning PHP10,000.01 to PHP69,999.99 have a monthly premium between PHP350 to PHP2,449.99. Meanwhile, those earning PHP70,000 and higher per month will pay a fixed rate of PHP2,450 monthly.