Labor
Automatic Membership in the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP)
Republic Act No. 11223 known as the “Universal Health Care Act” (UHCA) became effective on February 21, 2019. UHCA provides for automatic membership of every Filipino citizen to the NHIP. This means that every NHIP member shall be granted immediate eligibility for health benefit package, regardless of non-registration/non-membership with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) under Republic Act No. 7875 as amended by Republic Act Nos. 9241 and 10606.
There are two (2) types of NHIP members: direct contributors and indirect contributors.
“Direct contributors refer to those who have the capacity to pay premiums, through gainful employment (including self-employment), and their qualified dependents, and lifetime members.” Their premium rates shall be as follows:
Year | Premium Rate | Monthly Income Floor & Ceiling |
2019 | 2.75% | P10,000 – Php50,000 |
2020 | 3.00% | P10,000 – Php60,000 |
2021 | 3.50% | P10,000 – Php70,000 |
2022 | 4.00% | P10,000 – Php80,000 |
2023 | 4.50% | P10,000 – Php90,000 |
2024 | 5.00% | P10,000 – Php100,000 |
2025 | 5.00% | P10,000 – Php100,000 |
Employers and self-employed direct contributors shall be required to pay all missed contributions with an interest of at least 3% for employers and not exceeding one and one-half percent (1.5%) for self-earning, professional practitioners, and migrant workers.
“Indirect contributors refer to all others not included as direct contributors, as well as their qualified dependents, whose premium shall be subsidized by the national government, including those who are subsidized as a result of special laws.
The implementing rules and regulations are expected to have been issued within 180 days from effectivity, which should include, among others, the transition from current PhilHealth membership program to automatic membership of all Filipino citizens in the NHIP.
To read the entire text of the UHCA, click here.
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