(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday that Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) members would enjoy complete and continuous services despite the cancellation of subsidy for the state-run insurer in 2025.
“My guarantee is very simple — whether there are subsidies or not, regardless of contributions, none of these issues will reduce the services of PhilHealth,” Marcos told reporters in Pasay City.
“The payments from PhilHealth for insurance claims will not decrease. In fact, it’s the opposite. We will be increasing the services provided by PhilHealth, and we will expand the payments for insurance claims,” Marcos added.
Philhealth operation and transactions and claims continue through the over the counter method at the Philhealth Mother Ignacia branch in Quezon City. Photo by Ismael De Juan
In his speech before the session adjourned on Wednesday, Speaker Martin Romualdez said the House of Representatives would conduct an inquiry in 2025 to check if PhilHealth’s 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 reveals that the state health insurer has surplus funds or underutilized resources.
“Why are we doing this? Because the Filipinos deserve no less. PhilHealth exists to provide security and comfort in times of medical emergencies. It should not hoard resources at the expense of its members,” Romualdez said.
“If we can alleviate the burden of contributions without compromising its sustainability, we will do so,” he added.
Sen. Grace Poe, head of the Senate Finance Committee, said the bicameral conference committee decided to reduce the P74.431 billion subsidy for PhilHealth’s non-paying members to zero in 2025 because the state-run health insurer still has P600 billion in reserve funds.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said PhilHealth still has a P150 billion surplus from its 2024 budget allocation to cover the subsidy for indirect members.
Marcos said the state-run 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 opposite. We will be expanding those services in 2025; PhilHealth will offer even more services, and the payments for insurance claims will increase,” Marcos said.
“So please don’t worry; there will be no loss of services from PhilHealth. In fact, we are improving the operation of PhilHealth so that we can provide even more to the public,” he added.
The Department of Health, PhilHealth’s supervising agency, assured the public that the services of the state-run health insurer would remain uninterrupted.
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