Senator Grace Poe is proposing legislation that would give the President the authority to halt increases in payments to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) if a state of national emergency or nationality calamity will be proclaimed.
In effect, this would alter Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act, which would only allow Philhealth to impose the hike if the state of national emergency or calamity has already been removed.
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This, as most OFWs have been seeking to reduce or even remove the requirement of having to pay for PhilHealth altogether, citing that they already have health insurance paid for by their respective employers overseas.
“By giving the President the power and authority to suspend such increases in times of need, we are also providing our countrymen a critical lifeline,” said Sen. Poe.
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The newly-proposed measure states that the President may postpone the rise in premium payments in the case of a state of national emergency, public health emergency, or state of national tragedy, based on the advice of the Philhealth board after a comprehensive consultation with stakeholders.
“Right now, we must heed their distress call for food to feed their families and jobs to help them get by, with the least burden and utmost support from government,” she added.
