Gov’t decision on PhilHealth premium hike out soon

The government will come out with a decision on whether or not to push through with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth)’s premium contribution rate increase “very soon,” President Marcos said yesterday.

- HELEN FLORES

A cost-benefit analysis is still being conducted to ensure that the five-percent increase in contribution will also provide additional benefits to all members, according to Marcos.

“It’s under review. What we are trying to determine is that if we are going to increase the contribution from four percent to five percent, how do we benefit from that? It’s really a cost-benefit analysis,” he said before leaving for Canberra, Australia.

“We’re still under study, but we’ll come to a conclusion very, very soon,” he added.

The President noted that the state insurer has expanded its benefits over the years, including the increase in dialysis support to three times a week for outpatients or equivalent to full weekly coverage.

He also mentioned the increase in PhilHealth’s coverage for “Case Z conditions” such as cancer.

“So, if there are benefits, if we can justify the increase, then we’ll do it, but if not, we won’t. It’s that simple. It’s just a very straightforward costbenefit analysis,” he said.