PhilHealth defers increased premium

MANILA, Philippines - Employees and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) will not have to increase their regular premium contributions to Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) since the ruling is deferred until the 2013.

PhilHealth Eastern Visayas President Walter Bacareza said in a Philippine Information Agency report that the delayed implementation was due to complaints of PhilHealth members on the scheduled increase on the first day of 2013.

This means that instead of the P2,400 annual insurance contribution demanded of self-employed and voluntary PhilHealth members, Bacareza said they will continue to contribute only P1,800 for the year.

Each member used to pay only P1,200 for their PhilHealth contributions annually until the state-owned corporation announced in 2012 that premiums will be raised to P2,400.

Bacareza added that the partial deferment of the new premium rate of three percent salary deduction was mandated in PhilHealth Circular No. 57, series of 2012.

Self-employed members, according to Bacareza, may pay their contributions, either quarterly, semi-annually or annually at any PhilHealth office as well as through accredited collecting agents such as CIS Bayad Centers, MLhuillier, LBC Express Outlets, Philpost and local banks.

Bacareza further explained that members under the Overseas Workers Program (OWP) will continue paying P 1,200 only per year through PhilHealth offices or via collecting banks abroad like Development Bank of the Philippines and Philippine Veterans Bank remittance centers or their subsidiary branches in Asia, Europe, and United Kingdom.