PhilHealth Services Uninterrupted – Marcos

(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday that members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) would benefit from comprehensive and continued services despite the cancellation of the public insurer’s subsidy in 2025.

“My guarantee is very simple: Whether there are subsidies or not, whatever the contributions, none of these issues will reduce PhilHealth services,” Marcos told reporters in Pasay City.

“PhilHealth payments for insurance claims will not decrease. In fact, it is the opposite. We will increase the services provided by PhilHealth and we will increase payments for insurance claims,” ​​Marcos added.

Philhealth operations, transactions and claims continue through the over-the-counter method at the Philhealth Mother Ignacia Branch in Quezon City. Photo by Ismaël De Juan

In his speech before the session adjourned on Wednesday, Speaker Martin Romualdez said the House of Representatives would conduct an investigation in 2025 to check whether PhilHealth funds were being managed properly.

Romualdez, a cousin of the president, said the House would recommend a one-year moratorium on premium payments as a form of relief for PhilHealth members if the House investigation finds that the state health insurer has funds surplus or underutilized resources.

“Why are we doing this? Because Filipinos deserve no less. PhilHealth exists to provide safety and comfort in times of medical emergencies. It should not hoard resources at the expense of its members,” Romualdez said.

“If we can reduce the burden of contributions without compromising their sustainability, we will,” he added.

Senator Grace Poe, chairwoman of the Senate Finance Committee, said the bicameral conference committee decided to reduce the P74.431 billion subsidy for non-contributing PhilHealth members to zero in 2025 as the health insurer public still has 600 billion pesos in reserve funds. .

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said PhilHealth still has a P150 billion surplus in its 2024 budget allocation to cover the indirect member subsidy.

Marcos said the state health insurer would further expand its benefits and coverage.

“I would like to assure everyone that there will be no reduction in services for anyone. Quite the contrary. We will expand these services in 2025; PhilHealth will offer even more services and payments for health claims. insurance will increase,” Marcos said. .

“So don’t worry; there will be no loss of PhilHealth services. In fact, we are improving the operation of PhilHealth so that we can offer even more to the public,” he added.

The Department of Health, PhilHealth’s supervisory agency, assured the public that the state health insurer’s services would remain uninterrupted.