The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has revealed that they will still continue to implement the increase in premiums for contributions for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
In a House hearing on Tuesday, PhilHealth says that the circular which imposes a 3 percent increase in contributions ranging from Php10,000 to Php60,000 will still take effect when the coronavirus pandemic is over, according to Inquirer.
PhilHealth official Antonio Danao says that President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to suspend the hike in premiums will only last during the pandemic period.
“Yung voluntary na in-announce ng Presidente ay during the pandemic period lang. Ngayon after the pandemic, dahil ang batas ay hindi pa na-amyendahan at yung PhilHealth circular na aming nailabas ay hindi pa na-amemd, mag take effect ang circular,” Danao added.
Under the controversial circular which classified overseas Filipinos as direct contributors under the Universal Healthcare Law and therefore, payment and remittance of premium contributions is mandatory.
An OFW who has an income of Php10,000 to Php60,000 will have a hike in premium of 2.75 percent.
The agency claims that only 320,000 OFWS are actively contributing to PhilHealth right now out of more than 3 million registered members. They have also collected Php1.02 billion from the 320,000 OFW contributors both here and abroad.
PhilHealth is now under fire as allegations of billions of corruption hounds the agency.
