EDITORIAL
Despite allegations of billions of pesos absconded by officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., PhilHealth will implement new contribution rates and adjust the income ceiling to ensure it will have enough funds to cover 110 million Filipinos under the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.
PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Dante Gierran said those earning below P10,000 would contribute P350 per month, while those earning P 10,000.01 to P 69,999 would pay a premium rate of 3.5 percent from P350 to P2,449.99. Those earning P 70,000 and above will pay a monthly premium of P2,450.
He added while the Covid-19 pandemic has affected businesses, the state insurer is duty-bound to implement the UHC law, which aims to improve the country’s health care services, especially during the pandemic.
The rate adjustments, based on section 10 of the UHC Law and its implementing rules and regulations, cited importance of member’s social health insurance contributions to fund health care reforms.
The reforms listed under the UHC act include automatic membership of all Filipinos into the National Health Insurance Program, immediate eligibility of all Filipinos to PhilHealth benefits, assignment of a primary care provider of their choice, no balance billing or no co-payment for confinements in basic or ward accommodations in both government and private health care facilities, and lifetime coverage for all members upon reaching retirement age.
Gierran said he would implement measures to strengthen the agency’s internal mechanisms, policies, systems and processes to ensure a renewed organization.
Gierran replaced retired military officer Ricardo Morales in September after the latter was embroiled in a corruption scandal involving the state insurer’s internal reimbursement mechanism.
Following PhilHealth’s announcement, taxpayers and some top officials of the country like senators questioning upped rates of PhilHealth to be shouldered by the Filipino people.
According to pundits, erring corrupt executives of PhilHealth and other government officials who allegedly pocketed billions of pesos from the government agency’s funds should first be prosecuted first before additional rates would against be imposed on the Filipino people.
After all, they say, it is taxpayers who are providing the money to run the government agency – not the hoodlums in government.
Despite allegations of billions of pesos absconded by officials of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., PhilHealth will implement new contribution rates and adjust the income ceiling to ensure it will have enough funds to cover 110 million Filipinos under the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.
PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Dante Gierran said those earning below P10,000 would contribute P350 per month, while those earning P 10,000.01 to P 69,999 would pay a premium rate of 3.5 percent from P350 to P2,449.99. Those earning P 70,000 and above will pay a monthly premium of P2,450.
He added while the Covid-19 pandemic has affected businesses, the state insurer is duty-bound to implement the UHC law, which aims to improve the country’s health care services, especially during the pandemic.
The rate adjustments, based on section 10 of the UHC Law and its implementing rules and regulations, cited importance of member’s social health insurance contributions to fund health care reforms.
The reforms listed under the UHC act include automatic membership of all Filipinos into the National Health Insurance Program, immediate eligibility of all Filipinos to PhilHealth benefits, assignment of a primary care provider of their choice, no balance billing or no co-payment for confinements in basic or ward accommodations in both government and private health care facilities, and lifetime coverage for all members upon reaching retirement age.
Gierran said he would implement measures to strengthen the agency’s internal mechanisms, policies, systems and processes to ensure a renewed organization.
Gierran replaced retired military officer Ricardo Morales in September after the latter was embroiled in a corruption scandal involving the state insurer’s internal reimbursement mechanism.
Following PhilHealth’s announcement, taxpayers and some top officials of the country like senators questioning upped rates of PhilHealth to be shouldered by the Filipino people.
According to pundits, erring corrupt executives of PhilHealth and other government officials who allegedly pocketed billions of pesos from the government agency’s funds should first be prosecuted first before additional rates would against be imposed on the Filipino people.
After all, they say, it is taxpayers who are providing the money to run the government agency – not the hoodlums in government.
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