PREMIUM ADJUSTMENT. Janimhe Jalbuna, chief of the PhilHealth public affairs office in Western Visayas, reminds members of the possible adjustment on premium rate starting January 2024 during a media forum at a hotel in Iloilo City on Wednesday (Nov. 29, 2023). As mandated by the Universal Health Care Act, the premium rate is 5 percent of the monthly basic pay. (PNA photo by PGLena)
ILOILO CITY – Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) members are advised to brace for the adjustment in the premium rate from the current four to five percent of the basic monthly pay effective January 2024.
The adjustment in the premium rate is mandated under Section 10 of Chapter III of the Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act that provided the premium contributions from 2019 until 2025.
“If we are to implement what the law provides, it has to be at five percent. PhilHealth is just implementing what the law provides,” Janimhe Jalbuna, chief of the PhilHealth public affairs office, said in a media forum held in a hotel here Wednesday.
The current premium rate is 4 percent after the government deferred the supposed 4.5 percent for 2023 since the country is still recovering from the health pandemic.
Jalbuna said they still have not received guidelines or directives on how much will be the premium rate or a possible deferment but they are making the public aware of the supposed adjustment.
“What’s good with the employed sector is that it is shared, only 50 percent will come from our salary and the other half will be paid by our employer. For voluntary paying members and migrant workers, they will solely shoulder their premium,” she said.
Jalbuna, however, emphasized that along with the adjustment in the premium rate comes a guaranteed expansion of benefits, including medical, dental, mental, and outpatient.
“As members, we can expect better service,” she added.
Currently, PhilHealth is actively campaigning for members to avail of the Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama (KonSulTa) Package, a preventive healthcare benefits package through accredited providers.
Jalbuna said that as of Oct. 31, the state health insurance accredited 160 Konsulta providers in the region.
However, only 145,301 of the 1.59 million members registered with the Konsulta have their first patient encounter or have sought consultation.
Dr. Athena Lauron, Medical Specialist II of PhilHealth’s health care delivery management division-benefit administration section said the Konsulta package covers consultation and case management, preventive health services, assistance in assessing services in partner facilities, referral to specialty and higher level of care, laboratory tests, and medicines. (PNA)
