(Eagle News)–Senator Bong Go on Monday, May 4, urged the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. to delay the implementation of a 3 percent increase in premium contributions of Overseas Filipino Workers or the collection of payments.
In a statement, Go, Senate health committee chairman, added PhilHealth could also amend its circular on the hike that supposedly covers “Overseas Filipinos in Distress” too.
The senator said affected OFWs are now relying on the government for the P10,000 one-time financial assistance amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which means “hindi naman po tama na sa panahong umaasa sila sa dagdag na tulong mula sa gobyerno, kaya pa natin sila sisingilin ng dagdag na kontribusyon.”
“Balansehin lang natin ito para hindi rin naman mailagay sa alanganin ang kabuuang pondong pangkalusugan na makakatulong sa mas maraming Pilipino lalo na ngayon na nasa health crisis pa tayo,” he said.
He added PhilHealth should improve its information dissemination so Filipinos would know where the hike in contributions goes.
“I-kumpara ang kabuuang halaga ng binabayaran na premiums sa kabuuang halaga ng lahat ng benepisyong nakukuha nila at ng kanilang pamilya. At i-identify kung ano ang mga idinagdag na mga benepisyo dahil sa pagtaas ng bayarin sa PhilHealth,” he said.
Under PhilHealth Circular 2020-0014 dated April 16, 2020, premium payments of OFWs whose monthly income ranges from P10,000 to P60,000 rise to 3 percent of their monthly salary starting this year.
In 2019, premium payments constituted 2.75 percent of their salary in that bracket.
PhilHealth said the increase was under the Universal Health Care Act signed into law in February last year, but Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the hike was not in the law itself but in the law’s implementing rules and regulations issued by PhilHealth.