House panel OKs bill allowing PH president to suspend PhilHealth contribution hike

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The House Committee on Health approved Thursday a measure seeking to grant the President of the Philippines the power to suspend the scheduled increases in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) premium contributions.

During its meeting, the members approved measures filed by Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Marikina Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo, amending Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Healthcare Act, by giving the President the power to defer the scheduled PhilHealth contribution increases in times of national emergencies or when the public interest so requires.

Under Velasco’s bill, which was used as the reference measure during the discussion, the suspension shall be in consultation with the Secretary of Finance and the Secretary of Health as chairperson of PhilHealth.

Speaker and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco  (Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Velasco earlier said that the bill “will provide a much-needed relief from the negative effects of the pandemic and will assure Filipinos that the government is sensitive to their sentiments.”

Currently, Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act mandates increases in member premiums by increments of 0.5 percent every year, starting 2021 until it reaches the 5 percent limit in 2025.

For 2021, the premium rate is scheduled to increase to 3.5 percent of the members’ monthly basic salary, from the 2020 rate of 3 percent.

PhilHealth has suspended the contribution hike which was supposed to take effect this month following the order of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Some, however, argued that a law is needed to alter an existing law, which includes its implementation.

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