100% hike in PhilHealth premiums scored

MANILA, Philippines—Lawmakers on Thursday asked President Benigno Aquino III to reconsider the government’s decision to increase the premium of Philippine Health Insurance Inc. (PhilHealth), saying it is anti-poor.

Eastern Samar Representative Ben Evardone and Kabataan party-list Representative Raymond Palatino said the 100-percent increase in premium will discourage indigent families from enlisting as Philhealth members, especially if they will be the ones to pay premium.

Bacolod Representative Anthony Golez, a medical doctor, meanwhile, proposed a “categorized” premium that would vary depending on the income of the member.

“The plan of PhilHealth to increase the premium by 100 percent is anti-poor and anti-people,” Evardone said in a text message.

He said the President should recall the decision of the board to raise the premium because this would only defeat the government’s plan to have a universal coverage.

“Because of the prohibitive cost of enrolment, many won’t be able to afford,” Evardone added.

Evardone, former secretary general of the League of Provinces of the Philippines, said there was no need for PhilHealth to increase the premium because it is awash with cash.

In a separate interview, Palatino said the increase in premium would be an additional burden to the Filipinos, especially if the poor will shoulder it.

Palatino said the conditional cash transfer, the government cash subsidy to the poorest of the poor in the country, will be for nothing if the families would have to pay for the increased premium.

Golez said the increase in premium should be matched with increase in benefits of members. He also said that any increase should be paid by the government, not the poor families.

He proposed a “categorized” premium that would depend on the member’s capacity to pay.

Golez said those who are capable of paying higher premium should be charged more so that they can subsidize a portion of the premium of the poor families. He said this will also unburden the government of shouldering the cost of the premium of the indigents.

In a circular approved by its board, PhilHealth premium contributions for new members will increase from P300 to P600 quarterly or a total of P2,400 per year

Covered by the increase are members who are earning P25,000 a year based on their income tax returns. –Lira Dalangin-Fernandez, INQUIRER.net