PhilHealth employees at work in Quezon City. (File photo by GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines— President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remains open to suspending the 5-percent increase in monthly premiums implemented by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) this year, saying he wants to make sure any hike in contributions will lead to improved insurance coverage and benefits.
READ: PhilHealth to give higher benefit packages effective Feb. 14
“What we are trying to determine is that if we are going to increase the contribution from 4 percent to 5 percent, what do we get in exchange? It’s really a cost-benefit analysis,” Marcos said on Wednesday in an interview with reporters before departing for a two-day state visit to Canberra, Australia.
He noted that the state health insurer has been expanding its healthcare services, including raising the number of covered dialysis sessions and improving coverage for cancer patients.
“If there are additional benefits, if we can justify the increase, then we’ll do it. But if we cannot, then we won’t. It’s as simple as that,” Marcos said, adding that his office would “come to a conclusion very, very soon.”
The push to suspend this year’s higher PhilHealth premium rates, as Health Secretary Ted Herbosa suggested, has been pending before the Office of the President since January.