spot_img
27.7 C
Philippines
Friday, March 29, 2024

PhilHealth told to submit rate data

- Advertisement -

The Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG), the central advisory, oversight, and monitoring body for government-owned and -controlled corporations, has ordered the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. on Thursday to submit data on the impact of the premium hike suspension on its financials and operations.

In a memorandum signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, PhilHealth was informed to suspend the scheduled increase of the premium rate from 4 percent to 4.5 percent and the income ceiling from P80,000 to P90,000 under Section 10 of Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act or UHC.

However, PhilHealth said the premium rate increase to 5 percent by 2024 as mandated by the UHC law will go as planned, unless President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. would say otherwise, according to PhilHealth’s Acting Vice President for Corporate Affairs Rey Baleña.

“What was suspended was only for 2023. There is no advisory or instruction yet for 2024,” Baleña, quoted by a GMA News report said, adding that “If everything goes well and there will be no directive from the President, then according to the schedule in the Universal Health Care

Law, our premium rate will increase to 5% and the ceiling will be P100,000.”

- Advertisement -

GCG chairperson Alex Quiroz said “with its commitment to align with the administration’s transparency agenda, the Governance Commission strives to ensure that the PhilHealth, is fully compliant with the President’s directives.”

The requested data will be used as an additional reference in the evaluation of PhilHealth’s performance.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte last January 2021 also ordered PhilHealth to suspend the increase to lessen the people’s burden amid the continuing health crisis.

Baleña said earlier the annual increase would be used for the benefit plan of 2023, including KonSulTa (Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama), a comprehensive primary care benefit that provides easier access to essential services such as consultations, health risk screenings, laboratory tests, and medicines.

It is also expected to provide outpatient therapeutic care for severe and acute malnutrition; outpatient package for mental health; and continuous COVID-19 benefit package.

Baleña further said he hopes Congress will be able to amend the UHC by 2024, in light of the suspension of the premium rate increase for this year.

PhilHealth meanwhile reported that it posted a net income of P32.84 billion in 2021, up P2.8 billion or 9 percent from a year ago. Revenues from health insurance contributions jumped 15 percent year on year to P171.17 billion, due to the increase in employed and self-paying/earning members of around 7 percent, coupled with intensified collection efforts and the launch of an online premium payment facility for self-paying members in its Member Portal.

- Advertisement -

LATEST NEWS

Popular Articles