Move for PhilHealth Contribution Hike Brings Premiums at 5% Monthly Rate
The increase in the PhilHealth contribution is in a bad timing considering the socioeconomic challenges in the Philippines now.
One of the state entities with millions of members in the country is the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or more popularly called PhilHealth. Undeniably, on the other side of a PhilHealth membership being mandated in most employment fields, the health insurance it provides is way cheaper compared with the insurance policies provided by private insurance providers.
Despite that the PhilHealth coverage may not provide much to cover all the needs of a member during a medical situation, there is no denying that it can be a safety net. At least, somehow, the member has something to turn to for financial assistance.
However, this will only happen if the PhilHealth member manages an updated account as well. To do it, he/she must regularly post monthly contributions.
Truth be told that the premiums for PhilHealth and either the Social Security System (SSS) or the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) are among those that take a slice of a person’s monthly budget. The bigger the premiums, the bigger the cut from the household budget will be.
While I believe that PhilHealth has the benefits that can really act like safety nets for its members most especially in times of emergency, maintaining an active account is already a challenge itself. However, the intensity of the challenge may be doubled as the health insurance provider raised the premium rate to 5% this year.
In 2023, the hike was suspended due to the situation in the country. However, the inflation rate only soared as months passed. I believe the Philippines is still facing a lot of socioeconomic challenges which are felt down to the household level.
It is my humble opinion that increasing the PhilHealth monthly contribution this 2024 is on a bad timing because of the financial challenge that many people are facing. A lot of Filipinos already struggle to put food in their tables. A higher premium may only grow the chance of the member missing to update a membership account.
I join the call of many people, including Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Ted Herbosa himself who believe that PhilHealth can still fund its members, for the suspension of the hike on the monthly contribution.
Disclaimer: The content of the article posted above is an opinion of the writer. Also, the citations provided are based on the information deemed as facts by the different legit sources that contribute to the basis of the making of the whole viewpoint. The writer does not, in any form, intend to create inaccurate understanding of the topic or influence the readers instead, express one’s viewpoint in a formal manner.
