The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation said Jan. 8 that it will implement a one-time waiver program for incurred interests from missed premium payments.
This is a concrete measure to help employers, self-employed individuals, and other covered members settle long-standing contribution obligations, and restore good standing with the National Health Insurance Program, it said in a statement.
“The one-time waiver applies strictly to interest charges, and does not cover unpaid premium contributions. The policy is designed to assist employers and self-employed individuals, whose arrears have ballooned primarily because of compounded interest, while ensuring continuous delivery of benefits of employees and members of PhilHealth,” it added.
A one-year settlement window from the effectivity of the circular will be enforced, during which, outstanding premium contributions may be paid, PhilHealth said. “Employers who settle earlier within the prescribed period may qualify for greater reductions in interest, including partial or full waiver, depending on the length of the payment term.”
It added that the waiver policy underscores the administration’s commitment to fairness, economic recovery, and sustained access to healthcare by addressing the accumulated burden of interest arising from missed premium payments.
As part of the program safeguards, employers availing of the one-time waiver are required to register their employees under the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) and ensure completion of the First Patient Encounter (FPE), in line with PhilHealth policy.
This requirement reinforces the intent of the waiver, not only to recover missed contributions, but also to connect workers and their families to accessible primary care services, it said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier ordered PhilHealth to implement a general amnesty on interest and penalties incurred for unpaid contributions of employers, business owners, and self-employed members, including a one-time waiver of interest and penalties.
In a video message yesterday morning, Marcos said the move aims to ease the financial burden on Filipinos and help them settle long-standing contribution backlogs without additional charges.
Per his directive, employers will be given one year to pay all missed contributions incurred from July 2013 to December 2024. Marcos said in a Philippine News Agency report that the amnesty is expected to benefit around 300,000 PhilHealth members. ||
