PRESS RELEASE


DOF uses false, also inadequate information to compute excess PHIC funds


Three hundred senior citizens in Quezon City started a signature campaign yesterday asking the PHIC Board and its members, including Sec Ralph Recto to stop removing funds from PhilHealth as it will jeopardize access to health services of its 8.3 million senior citizen members who are consuming 30 percent of health services nationwide (PSA, 2023 PNHA).


Sec Recto calls this petition fake news. 


Based on PHIC annual reports from 2010 to 2022, government contributed 564billion to cover premiums of indirect members, including senior citizens. PHIC paid out 554billion as benefits, with 17 pct of that going to senior citizens, according to PHIC annual reports. The excess premiums only amounts to 10.88billion.


DOF also computes the excess in 2023 by using incomplete benefit payment data from PhilHealth since it did not account for 2023 arrears to be paid in 2024. DOF also assumed that PHIC received 78.8b from GAA when the 2022 GAA only shows 61.229b, inflating excess to 38 billion when it could be as low as 3billion only.


“This was presented to the Senate committee by the Medical Action Group and UHC advocates. PHIC and DOF representatives did not object to the presentation. How can Sec recto now call it fake news?” Dr Juan Perez, co chair of MAG, asserted.


Also for the second year, Congress reduced premium payments for the poor, elderly and PWDs to 40billion in 2024, half of what is required to keep PhilHealth membership premium payments viable.


“It is absolutely appropriate for PhilHealth members to ask the Board to stop its anti-poor policies, including jeopardizing the membership of the poorest and most vulnerable Filipinos. These are facts, not fake news” Dr. Perez added.


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