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Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session
HOUSE BELL No.  6 7 7 2
Introduced by Representatives Feidiiiand Ma-Ftin G. Romtialdez,
Manuel Jose "Mannix" M. Dalipe,  Ferdinand Alexander A. Marcos,
Yedda Marie K. Romua]dez and Jude A. A€idre
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This  bill  seeks to  grant the  President  of the  Philippines the power to
suspend and adjust the period of implementation of the scheduled increase of
premium  rates  for  direct  contributors  of  the  Philippine  Health  Insurance
Corporation (Philhealth),  amending for the purpose Republic Act No.  11223,
othe:r`wise lunoi`wn as the Ccuniversal Health Care Act."
The  1987 Constitutiori vests in the State the responsibility to protect and
promote the people's right to  health,  including access to quality health care,
especially the most vulnerable. Consistent with this state policy, the Uhiversal
Health Care Act was emaicted ±n 2018 to "ensure that all Filipinos are guaranteed
equitable access to quality and affbrdable health care goods and services, and
p7iofectecJ czger;.usf ¢7gcz#cz.cz/ rz.sfr. "   The intent of the law is clear and cannot be
overemphasized.    Filipinos  need  and  deserve  a  comprehensive  set  of health
services that are cost effective, hiss-quality, and responsive to the requirements
of all citizens.
To realize the  objectives  of the Ufiiversal  Health  Care  Act,  sufficie-fit
funding  is  understandably  necessary;  thus,  under  Section  10  of RA  11223,
premium rates shall be adjusted annually.  This year 2023, a 4.50% increase in
premium contributions is to be implemented.  Based on the premium contributich
table for direct contributors released by PhilHealth, those earning Plo,000.00
pesos and below must pay P450.00; those earning Plo,000.01 -P89,999.99 must
pay P450.00 - P4,050.00;  and those  earning P90,000.00 and above must pay
P4,050.00.


Vthile PhilHealth only aims to fulfill and remain faithful to its mandate,
imposing a higher premium to Filipinos in these current conditions where most
of them are  grappling with the pandemic will definitely enforce a new round of
financial burden to its members.  Our countrymen have barely recovered from the
losses and difficulties brought by COVID-19.  Most livelihood, businesses, and
other  sources  of income  have  not  reopened yet,  and  many  Filipinos  remain
unempleyed.  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself supported the calls to defer
the increase in PhilHealth premium contributions.
On December 27, 2022, Exec-utive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, by the
order of the President, issued a memorandum that provides for the suspension of
the scheduled increase in premium rate and income ceiling for 2023, citing the
prevailing socioeconomic challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic
and necessary financial relief to our countrymen amidst these difficult times as
the bases of the suspension.
Suspending  the  imposition  of the  new  PhilHealth  premium  rates  will
provide a much-needed relief during national emegencies or calamities and will
assure  Filipinos  that  the  government  is  sensitive  to  their  sentiinents  in  this
difficulttime.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.
EL    TING.RormALDEz


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Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session
HOUSE BELL No.   6772
Introduced by Representatives Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez,
Manue] Jose ``Mannix" M. Dalipe, Ferdinand A]exander A. Marcos,
Yedda Marie K. Romualdez and Jude A. Acidre
1                                                                AN ACT
?L^,p\ti,,.GRANTING THE PRESIDENT 0F THE PHILIPPINES THE POWER
3 . `  TO SUSPEND AND ADJUST TIIE PERIOD OF IMPLEMENTATI0N 0F
4     THE SCHEDULED INCREASE oF PREMIun4 RATES FOR DIRECT
5   .`CONTRIBUTORS   0F   THE   PHILIPPINE   IIEALTH   INSURANCE
6     CORPORATION, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT
7    No.  iiz23,  OTHERWISE KNowN As THE  "tJIVTyERsdi liE4£rH
8     CAREACT"
9
co     Be it enacted by the senate and House of Rapresentatives of the philippines in
LI     Congress assembled:
12
13               SECTION 1.  Section 10 ofRepublic ActNo.11223, is hereby amended to
14     readas follows:
15
16
17
"Section 10.  Prerm.«m Co«Zrz.bedfo«s. -For direct contributors,
premium rates shall be in accordance with the following schedule, and
monthly income floor and ceiling:
Year
PremiumRate
Income Floor
Income Ceiling
2019
2.750/o
Plo,000.00
P50,000.00


2020
3.000/®
Plo,000.00
P60,000.00
2021
3.500/a
Plo,coo-00
P70,000.00
2022
4.000/a
Plo,coo.00
P80,000.00
2023
4.50%
Plo,000.00
P90,000.00
2024
5.00%
Plo,000.00
P100,000.00
2025
5.000/o
Plo,coo.00
P100,000.00
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
"Provz.ded, That for indirect contributors, premium subsidy shall
be   gradually   adjusted   and   included   annually   in   the   General
Appropriations Act (GAA): Provz.decJ, /z4rffae# That the funds shall be
released  to  PhilHealth:  P7iovz.dec7,  /zfrffeermore,  That  the  DOH,  in
coordination  with  PhilHealth,  may  request  Congress  to  appropriate
supplemental funding to meet targeted milestones of this Act: Provz.dec7,
¢7ea/fy,  That for every inerease in the rate of contribution of direct
contributors and premium subsidy of indirect contributors, PhilHealth
shall provide for a corresponding increase in benefits.
"TIIE pRESIDEr`IT oF THE pHILlppINEs MAY, upoN
TIIE RECOMMENI)ATI0N 0F THE PHILHEALTH BOARD,
SUSPEND        AND        ADJU ST        THE        PERIOD        OF
IMPLERENTATI0N  0F THE  SCHEDULED  INCREASE  OF
pREMluna RATHS DURING NATIONAL EnmRGENCIES oR
CALAMITIES, OR WIIEN PUBLIC INTEREST S0 REQUIRES.
SEC.  2.  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
18     the Qffcz.cz/ Gczze#e or in a newspaper of general circulation.
19
Approved,