Solon scores 100 percent hike in Philhealth premium

A senior member of the House of Representatives yesterday called on the Aquino administration to recall a decision by the Philhealth Corp. to make the cost of government health insurance restrictive to millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFW).

Batangas Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza, a member of the House committee on health, revealed that an “unconscionable” hike in insurance premium will greet OFWs at the start of 2012.

He said a Philhealth Corp. directive provides that premium payments for health insurance covering OFW’s should further increase by mid-2012.

Under Circular No. 22-11 that was released 10 days before Christmas day, premium payments for OFWs will increase from P900 to P1,200 by January, 2012. The amount will double to P2,400 by mid-2012.

“Malacañang should stop Philhealth from playing Scrooge to the unsung heroes of Philippine economy. Circular No. 22-11 only serves as a spoiler to the Christmas spirit of generosity and selfless concern for others,” said Mendoza.

“The increase is both drastic and unjustified as doubling of fees collected by a government agency is unheard of in recent history.”

Mendoza, who heads the Nationalist People’s Coalition contingent in the Lower House, assailed the state-run health care agency for imposing the insurance premium adjustment without sufficient public consultation.

“If Philhealth should be true to its mandate to serve the people rather than act as a financial monster that it wants to be by nibbling even the morsels earned by our OFWs,” the Batangas solon stated.

Mendoza echoed the appeal of non-government organizations representing OFW’s for the scrapping of the Philhealth circular, saying that public hearings must or repeated if the state-run firm insists on pursuing its plan.

Pilhealth officials explained that imposing higher premiums has become necessary to pave the way for the implementation of performance targets, accomplish the Millennium Development and pursue a universal health care coverage for Filipinos.

“We cannot continue to be insensitive to the plight of the poor in these times when many are growing hungrier by the day and hundreds are dead and thousands were rendered homeless by the recent typhoon,” said Mendoza. –Charlie V. Manalo, Daily Tribune