HEALTH Secretary Ted Herbosa said on Wednesday he has urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to again suspend the premium rate hike of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth).
At the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel forum, Herbosa said he was not in favor of implementing the 5 percent premium hike as scheduled under the Universal Health Care (UHC) law.
Herbosa said the rate hike would only add to the burdens Filipinos amid escalating prices of food and other basic commodities.
PhilHealth is expecting some P17 billion in additional funds with the implementation this year of the mandated hike in premiums from 4 percent to 5 percent.
Last week, PhilHealth president and CEO Emmanuel Ledesma said the state insurer was pushing through with the scheduled increase in members’ contributions a year after it was suspended by Marcos.
“For us to be able to sustain these benefit enhancements, PhilHealth needs to continue strengthening its fund,” Ledesma said.
Last year, PhilHealth was supposed to raise contributions from 4 percent to 4.5 percent, but this was deferred by the President.
metrosundaily
