PhilHealth Mandatory Premium Contribution (ALL Overseas Filipinos)

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

15 minutes ago, boris64 said:

I just read the document. Members means all Filipino citizens as defined by the 1987 Constitution.  From my reading if you don't pay and decide to use it later you will owe back payments with interest.))) It looks like I may bite the bullet and retire in Thailand or Vietnam and make occasional trips to the Philippines.  

[Snorkel378 38]

My wife is most concerned about the possibility of her not being able to board a flight back out of the Philippines due to this, does anyone know?

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

4 hours ago, Snorkel378 said:

My wife is most concerned about the possibility of her not being able to board a flight back out of the Philippines due to this, does anyone know?

Due to what, the Phil health proclamation? No, it shouldn't be a problem 

[payxibka 10,048]

47 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

Due to what, the Phil health proclamation? No, it shouldn't be a problem 

What I have read is that the exit immigration will have visibility to any deficit on someone account and will stop you at the border and prevent you from leaving until satisfied 

[JasonIsMyName 0]

@Snorkel378 @payxibka

 

That's my wife's concern too, that if enforced, she would not be given her boarding pass from the airline to leave the Philippines without proper documentation showing payment made to PhilHealth, similar to the Philippine travel tax for non-OFWs. The interesting thing is that my wife does not yet have a job in the United States. Looking at the PhilHealth document, perhaps she would need a duly-notarized affidavit of income declaration stating that she has no income according to Annex C of the document? Strange to say the least...

[Eric Bargemann 48]

Great news y’all!

 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/pinoyabroad/news/736699/duterte-orders-philhealth-not-to-require-ofws-to-pay-premiums/story/

[Kby175 115]

It seems the government really got some push back from people and changed their stance from what was first reported.  Great news for those that were going to be impacted.  

[Tacna 1]

9 hours ago, Eric Bargemann said:

Great news y’all!

 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/pinoyabroad/news/736699/duterte-orders-philhealth-not-to-require-ofws-to-pay-premiums/story/

That’s just OFWs.  Looks like dual citizenship Filipinos are still on the hook for mandatory payments:

 

https://www.bulatlat.com/2020/05/04/suspension-not-enough-scrap-mandatory-philhealth-for-ofws-group/

 

From the link:

 

”Migrante International also noted that Duterte’s recommendation also leaves out overseas Filipinos who are dual citizens...”

 

Guess we dual citizens have a reason to not travel there again or even finally have a good reason renounce our Philippines citizenship.

Edited May 4, 2020 by Tacna

[geowrian 22,339]

If they won't make OFWs pay (which I support not making them do so)...who realistically still benefit from it just by traveling home...good luck making residents or citizens of other countries pay.

In practical terms, I'd love to see them even try to stop a citizen of another country (even if they are Filipino too...most countries don't care about other citizenships) from leaving under this.

 

That said, my reading of the UHC law (I did actually read this!) is that premium payment must be satisfactory only to issue the OEC, not the exemption. The exemption would apply for foreign citizens and residents.

Edited May 4, 2020 by geowrian

[Tacna 1]

10 minutes ago, geowrian said:

If they won't make OFWs pay (which I support not making them do so)...who realistically still benefit from it just by traveling home...good luck making residents or citizens or other countries pay.

In practical terms, I'd love to see them even try to stop a citizen of another country (even if they are Filipino too...most countries don't care about other citizenships) from leaving under this.

 

That said, my reading of the UHC law (I did actually read this!) is that premium payment must be satisfactory only to issue the OEC, not the exemption. The exemption would apply for foreign citizens and residents.

Yes, enforcement is another issue, if even possible.

 

I guess we will know over time if it becomes a problem for dual citizens traveling there.

[Tacna 1]

From the UHC law itself....

 

38.10 A member who commits any violation of the Act; fails to pay all missed contributions with an interest, compounded monthly, as provided in Section 9 of the Act; or, knowingly and deliberately cooperates or agrees, whether explicitly or implicitly, to the commission of a violation by a contracted health care provider or employer, as defined in this provision, including the filing of a fraudulent claim for benefits or entitlement under the Act, shall be punished, after due notice and hearing, by a fine of Fifty thousand pesos (Php 50,000.00) for each count or suspension trom availment of the benefits of the Program for not less than three (3) months but not more than six (6) months, or both, at the discretion ofPhilHealth.

[Tacna 1]

On 4/30/2020 at 9:19 AM, Hank_ said:

Key word is MEMBERS ...   not the population in general.

All Filipinos are automatic members under the new law.

[Bugs 455]

1 hour ago, geowrian said:

 

 

That said, my reading of the UHC law (I did actually read this!) is that premium payment must be satisfactory only to issue the OEC, not the exemption. The exemption would apply for foreign citizens and residents.

Hi geowrian, can you refer me to the section of the law that addresses this?  Thank you.

[geowrian 22,339]

4 minutes ago, Bugs said:

Hi geowrian, can you refer me to the section of the law that addresses this?  Thank you.

The main part of that is from

https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/about_us/UHC-IRR_Signed.pdf

Quote

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) shall ensure that land-based overseas Filipino workers, whether new hires or returning (balik manggagawa), pay their PhilHealth premiums prior to issuance of the Overseas Employment Cet1ificate (OEC). Specific guidelines shall be issued by the POEA and PhilHealth.

Notably this is under the OFW sections, but POEA are the only ones that would be able to stop somebody from leaving via means of not issuing an OEC (for OFWs) or an exemption.

To be clear, this does not imply that the law does not require that that all Filipinos abroad don't have to pay ...just that there isn't an enforcement mechanism to make them do so when leaving.

[Bugs 455]

24 minutes ago, geowrian said:

The main part of that is from

https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/about_us/UHC-IRR_Signed.pdf

Notably this is under the OFW sections, but POEA are the only ones that would be able to stop somebody from leaving via means of not issuing an OEC (for OFWs) or an exemption.

To be clear, this does not imply that the law does not require that that all Filipinos abroad don't have to pay ...just that there isn't an enforcement mechanism to make them do so when leaving.

Thank you.