PhilHealth makes premium payment easier with accredited collecting agents

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MANILA — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) said on Thursday it has enhanced its efforts in providing convenience for employers in the government and private sectors’ task of paying contributions.

With a new policy guidelines, PhilHealth said that paying of premium contributions of employers and employees can now be done at any of the accredited collecting agents (ACAs) or e-payment facilities of PhilHealth.

“The new policy, which was articulated in PhilHealth Circular 009-2015, mandatorily requires employers with 11 or more employees to remit their premium payments directly to ACAs of their choice and not to PhilHealth offices,” PhilHealth President and CEO Atty. Alexander A. Padilla said.

The new policy will make premium remittances more convenient to employers and will free them from long queues in PhilHealth Local Health Insurance offices, especially during deadlines, he added.

The PhilHealth chief said they came out with the policy to ensure that hassle-free transactions are being enjoyed by the more than 86 million beneficiaries of PhilHealth nationwide.

He also said that through the new policy, a more efficient posting of premium payments can be made.

He, however, clarified that mandatory payment in ACAs shall not apply to micro-firms or businesses with less than 11 employees, including employers of kasambahays; or employers with 11 or more employees but are located in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas where there are no available ACAs or internet service providers.

The PhilHealth earlier announced that employers in both government and private sectors shall also adopt the Electronic Premium Reporting System or EPRS for the online submission of their remittance reports.

For employers in areas where there are ACAs but no internet connectivity, they can still submit their soft copy remittance reports to the nearest PhilHealth office.

PhilHealth also reminded the employers to pay in accordance with PhilHealth Circular 001-2014 which provides that employers with PhilHealth Employer Numbers (PENs) ending in 0-4 should remit their premiums within the 11th– 15th day of the month following the applicable period.

Those with PENs ending in 5-9 should remit their premiums on the 16th-20th of the month following the applicable period.