Sen. Grace Poe Speaks on PhilHealth Subsidy, Operating Budget for 2025
PHILHEALTH – The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. is denied of a subsidy in 2025 and is ordered to use its reserve funds instead.
Millions of Filipinos rely to their membership to the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) regarding their health insurance. It has been in the service of the Filipinos for decades now and its annual budget is one of those that go through scrutiny as it is a state entity.
Like the other state entities, the PhilHealth has its own share of issues as well as developments through the years. It has expanded its benefit offers for its members as well as the beneficiaries of the members with updated accounts.
To be eligible to avail the emergency and non-emergency medical benefits, a member must see to it that he/she has an updated account. This is possible through regularly posting the premium based on the rate set by the health insurance entity.
The members of the Senate and the House of Representatives have already convened. Recently, Senator Grace Poe spoke on the budget set for the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. or PhilHealth.
Based on a report on GMA News, Poe revealed that the state-run health insurance entity will get zero subsidy for 2025. According to the Senator, they will have use their reserve funds which is kept in a bank account.
Sen. Grace Poe who is the chairwoman of the Senate finance committee made the statement after the bicameral conference committee meeting on House Bill No. 10800 or the General Appropriations Bill (GAB). The national budget for next year is at P6.352 trillion.
Based on the report, the Senator said that PhilHealth may have around P600 billion reserve funds kept in a bank account if she has not mistaken. She stressed that the government is on the losing end as the money earns very little.
“Naka-deposito lang yan sa… kung anong account nila nilalagay, but definitely kung anong kinikita niyan, mas maliit pa sa, mas mababa pa sa inflation. So, lugi pa yung gobyerno,” she said.
According to Poe, the funds for PhilHealth were realigned to the sectors which have no funds and are really in need of budget. Meanwhile, based on the report, while there is no subsidy for the state-run health insurance agency next year, the lawmaker assured that the entity will be given its budget for operation.
“Hindi naman sila zero kasi meron silang pang operating cost,” Poe said.