Velasco wants to give President power to suspend PhilHealth, SSS contribution hikes

(File) SSS building

MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco filed Thursday two bills granting the President the power to suspend the scheduled increase in Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) and Social Security System (SSS) contributions.

Under House Bill No. 8316, the President may suspend the implementation of the scheduled increases in PhilHealth premium rates in times of national emergencies or when the public interest so requires.

The suspension shall be in consultation with the Secretary of Finance and the Secretary of Health as chairperson of PhilHealth.

“Suspending the imposition of the new PhilHealth premium rates 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,” Velasco said in the bill.

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 monthly basic salary, from the 2020 rate of 3 percent.

Meanwhile, Velasco also filed House Bill No. 8317 which gives the President power to suspend the implementation of the scheduled increases in SSS contribution rates in times of national emergencies when the public interest so requires.

From 12 percent last year, the increase in SSS contribution will be 13 percent starting January 2021.

The Social Security Act of 2018 allowed the Social Security Commission, the highest governing body of the SSS, to increase the contribution rate by 1 percent every other year starting 2019 until 2025.

/MUF