The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is not dying, an official of the agency said Monday, noting that its actuarial life will last “forever”.
“PhilHealth will last forever,” PhilHealth Officer-in-Charge Eli Dino Santos said during a House Committee hearing Monday.
Santos made the remarks during the House Committee on Appropriations after Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo’s questioned his initial pronouncement that PhilHealth needs support from the national government, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office for its actuarial life to last beyond 2027.
Based on PhilHealth data, it had a net income of P32.8 billion last year.
This is after benefit expenses amounting to P140.2 billion and operational expenses of P7.8 billion are deducted from PhilHealth’s total 2021 income of P171.2 billion, plus interest and other income amounting to P9.7 billion.
“Because every time we ask what is the actuarial life of PhilHealth, you always tell us that PhilHealth will die. Previously it was also asked what is actuarial life, Mr. President could not answer. He said, if you continue the subsidy, it will probably reach 2027. These pronouncement are nerve-wracking. Our countrymen might think PhilHealth is losing,” Quimbo said.
“Whenever benefit payments are introduced, that is subject to actuarial validation, right? Right now with your income, the only way the fund will die is if you give benefits way more than what you have. And you won’t let that happen,” she said.
The lawmaker also questioned the P100.2-billion national government subsidy to PhilHealth for 12.75 million indigent families next year. Quimbo said data from the National Household Targeting System show that as of August 2022, there are only 5.59 indigent households in the Philippines, or equivalent to around 6.2 million families.
“How did P6.2 million become P12.75 million?,” Quimbo said, adding that “For me, I think you are overcharging the government.”
PhilHealth explained that according to the National Health Insurance Act, only those ages below 21 years old are considered dependents. Quimbo instructed PhilHealth to present a clearer computation for the subsidy they are asking for from the national government.
PhilHealth agreed to look into it.
“You always come to us and tell us malapit nang mamatay ang PhilHealth (is about to die), because Congress refuses to give us the budget subsidy that we want. And then on our end, we say, why will we give you that much amount, when you can’t even come to us with reasonable computations?” Quimbo said.
“The computation of your charge to the national government for this subsidy of P100.2 billion is not clear, and you always use it as an excuse, year in, year out, as if you are hijacking us, emotionally hijacking us. You always say, ‘we will die because of the Congress,” she also said.
PhilHealth will be receiving around P34.99 billion in 2023 to improve its benefit packages under the Universal Healthcare Act.
The PCS and PAGCOR in May 2022 signed a joint circular on the guidelines for the operationalization of funds for the Universal Healthcare Law.