Only 78% of Members in W. Visayas Pay Premiums, PhilHealth Says

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) exceeded 100% membership registration in Western Visayas, but only 77.81% of members and dependents actively pay their premium contributions.

PhilHealth-6 data showed the region reached a membership rate of 118%, equivalent to approximately 7.9 million registrations from a projected population of 8.14 million.

Out of the total registered members, only 6.34 million have active contributions.

“It means that they are not only registered with us but also paying premium contributions. Admittedly, there are members who register but, unfortunately, do not pay their premiums, and that is one area we are looking into,” said Janimhe Jalbuna, public affairs unit head of PhilHealth-6.

Bacolod City recorded the highest number of paying members at 85.88%, followed by Iloilo with 83.88%, Guimaras at 79.69%, and Aklan with 76.38%.

PhilHealth-6 clarified that the figure for registered members might be inaccurate due to multiple registrations in the database.

Under the Universal Health Care Act, which took effect in November 2019, all Filipinos are required to pay PhilHealth contributions.

This year, the premium contribution rate increased from 4% to 5% of a member’s monthly salary. For example, individuals earning PHP 10,000 per month now pay a monthly premium of PHP 500.

Jalbuna noted that the pandemic contributed to the decline in contributors, as many members lost jobs and struggled to pay premiums.

Members who fail to pay contributions will be billed for unpaid premiums, which will accrue interest.

For employers, the interest is compounded monthly at a rate of at least 3%, while self-earning members face a maximum interest of 1.5% per month for missed payments.