We might have to rethink our budget for this year as one of our adulting responsibilities is catching up to us again.
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), who implements universal health coverage in the Philippines just recently released an advisory that the premium rate of direct contributors has yet again increase to 4%.
This increase to 4% was effective last January 2022 but will start to reflect on Electronic Premium Remittance System (EPRS) and the PhilHealth Member Portal starting June 2022. This means that members who have already paid their payments for the first 5 months of 2022, Jan-May, will have to settle the 1% until December 31, 2022 without interest.
Though a burden, this increase is based on the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act or also known as RA11223, that states that the premium rates “will gradually increase” by 0.5 percent every year. It started in 2019 at 2.75 percent until it reaches the five-percent limit by 2024 and 2025. It should also be noted that the increase was suspended in 2021 because of the pandemic.
The new monthly Philhealth contribution by each individual was shared by PhilHealth Senior Manager for Formal Sector-member Management Group Rex Paul Recoter in a forum on Wednesday, May 4.
This was also based on the PhilHealth Circular No. 2020-0005 on the “Premium Contribution Schedule in the National Health Insurance Program (Revision 1) which states that all direct contributors are advised that the premium rate for CY 2022 is 4.0%. The income floor would be P10,000 and income ceiling is P80,000.
It is already here so we need to adjust accordingly, we will just hope that this increase will also increase the quality of our health benefits.
