LAWMAKERS have pressed for a thorough congressional probe on the real financial status of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. following a controversial circular issued by the health insurance agency which effectively made it nearly impossible for local government units to sustain payment of premiums for their beneficiaries.
House Assistant Majority Leader and Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles and Western Samar Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento underscored the need to look into PhilHealth’s new payment scheme as he raised the possibility that the country’s only public health insurance system could be in deep financial trouble.
Nograles, a member of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, said the PhilHealth circular increasing LGU PhilHealth contributions by as much as 100 percent is “just too drastic and absolutely shocking.”
“This increase makes you think that PhilHealth is in trouble and is no longer financially sound. It’s too drastic an increase. I think that PhilHealth should bear in mind that it was created to be the government’s primary instrument to ensure that quality health care is accessible to all,” Nograles said.
Nograles added that LGU-sponsored PhilHealth beneficiaries are poor and live in subsistence conditions and this plan to double the cost of premiums would definitely defeat the very purpose of creating a government health insurance company like PhilHealth.
“PhilHealth was not created so that the government can make profit. If you increase the rates, many of the estimated 3.8 million Filipinos sponsored by the LGUs are in danger of being delisted as PhilHealh members because our LGUs can no longer afford paying their premiums. That does not really attain the universal coverage targets mandated by the PhilHealth law,” he said.
Sarmiento, member of the House committee on local government, joined the call to probe PhilHealth as he noted that this move to adjust premium cost by as much as 100 percent for LGUs and self-paying members could sabotage the government’s effort to expand the coverage of PhilHealth and make it accessible to all. –Maricel Cruz, Manila Standard Today
Nov 16 – International Day for Tolerance
“No more toleration of corruption!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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November
Nov 2 – Intl Day to End Impunity for
Crimes Against Journalists
Nov 9 – World Science Day for Peace
and Development
Nov 16 – International Day for Tolerance
Nov 19 – World Toilet Day
Nov 20 – World Children’s Day
Nov 25 – Intl Day for the Elimination of
Violence Against Women
Monthly Observances:
Homes Safety Month
Filipino Values Month
National Rice Awareness Month
National Consciousness Month
for Punctuality and Civility
Environmental Awareness Month
National Children’s Month
Organic Agriculture Month
Weekly Observances:
Nov 19-25: Global Warming and
Climate Change Consciousness Week
Nov 23-29: National Girls’ Week
Population and Development Week
Nov 25 – Dec 12: Social Welfare Week
18-Day Campaign to End
Violence against Women
Week 2: Week 3: Drug Abuse Prevention
and Control Week
Last Week: Safety and Accident
Prevention Week
Daily Observances:
Last Saturday: Career Executive Service
Day
Nov 19: National Child Health Day
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