Acquiring PhilHealth membership

Dear PAO,

I am graduating from college this March 2010 and I intend to work immediately after graduation. Our university sponsored a job week program and my classmates and I were able to submit our employment applications to prospective employers. I came across a list of requirements of one of the companies and it states that the employee they will be hiring must be a member of PhilHealth. How can I apply for membership with PhilHealth? I hope you can advise me. Thank you and more power to you and your office.

Umberto

Dear Umberto,

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) was created in order to help Filipinos in paying for the health care services they may need. Pursuant to the National Health Insurance Act of 1995 (Republic Act No. 7875, as amended by Republic Act No. 9241), all citizens of the Philippines are required to enroll in the National Health Insurance Program. This is to avoid adverse selection and social inequity. (Section 1 (l), id)

In your case, you can apply as a member of the PhilHealth by submitting your completed membership application (M1b Form) in their office. Since you are not yet employed in any company, you can apply as an individually-paying member. Under the Individually-Paying Program of PhilHealth, the following persons may enroll: (1) Those self-employed individuals or those who work for himself or herself; (2) Those who were previously formally employed and are separated fromemployment;

(3) Those employees of international organizations and foreign governments based in the Philippines without agreement with PhilHealth for the coverage of their Filipino employees in the program; and (4) All other individuals not covered under the previous categories mentioned like those who are unemployed and are not qualified as indigents. Together with the duly accomplished membership application form, you must attach a clear copy of your supporting documents pertaining to your qualified dependents, if any. After you have become a member, you must pay your premiums at any PhilHealth accredited collecting banks or at the office of the PhilHealth. The amount of premium required to be paid is fixed at One Hundred Pesos per month, which is payable quarterly, semi-annually or annually.

If, subsequently, you become employed, be it in the private sector or with any government agency, you may apply for the continuity of your membership with Philhealth. This may be done by filing a duly accomplished PhilHealth M2 Form in order to update the PhilHealth of the changes in your membership status, that is, from individually paying member to employee-member. Please make sure to have the form duly acknowledged by the PhilHealth. Thereafter, you should inform your employer as to the amendment of your membership status with PhilHealth. You must also inform your employer as to your Identification Number or PIN so that they can properly remit your premiums as an Employed Member. Please be informed that if your employment is that of a land-based Overseas, the payment of your premiums shall be categorized as an overseas Filipino worker.

We hope that we were able to enlighten you on this matter. Please be reminded that this advice is based solely on the facts you have narrated and our appreciation of the same. Our opinion may vary when other facts are changed or elaborated.

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