Underscoring the important role of social health insurance in the lives of Filipinos, February each year serves as National Health Insurance Month per Presidential Proclamation No. 1400 s. 2007.
The National Health Insurance Program, as a social health insurance scheme, is a form of financing and managing health care based primarily on risk pooling. The NHIP is guided by the principle of social solidarity or community spirit, where risks are shared among income groups, age groups, persons of differing health status and those residing in different geographic areas. By pooling the health risks of the people on one hand and the contributions of individuals, households, enterprises, and the government on the other, the program works to provide every Filipino with adequate financial protection when seeking medical care through everyone’s contributions, big or small, thus protecting people against the financial burden of illnesses.
Under this program, the young are helping the old, the healthy subsidize the sick, and those earning more lend support to those who are earning less, as well as vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, as the administrator of the National Health Insurance Program under Republic Act 7875 as amended, spearheads the nation’s observance of National Health Insurance Month parallel to the agency’s 28th anniversary on 14 February. The theme for this year, “Pinalawak at mga Bagong Benepisyo para sa Mamamayang Filipino”, amplifies the agency’s commitment to expand and ensure that benefits become even more responsive to the changing medical care needs of the Filipino people.
In the last three years of the pandemic, PhilHealth has paid a total of P307.70 billion in benefits for over 33.93 million claims filed on behalf of members and their dependents.
The celebration of National Health Insurance Month is part of PhilHealth’s mandate to provide all Filipinos equitable access to adequate and affordable health care services, now and in the future.
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