By Janna Marie Pineda
QUEZON CITY (PIA) — In a major move to ease the financial burden on Filipino businesses and workers, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered PhilHealth to implement a general amnesty program for unpaid health insurance contributions.
“Alam naman namin na ‘yung three percent na binabayad para sa PhilHealth buwan-buwan ay ramdam na ramdam ng ating mga kababayan,” Marcos stressed.
(We know that the 3% monthly PhilHealth contribution is something our fellow citizens truly feel in their pockets.)
“Kaya po ito po ay patuloy naming ginagawa upang pagaanin ang dala ng ating mga kababayan tungkol nga sa mga healthcare costs at sa lahat ng iba’t ibang hamon na hinaharap ng ating mga kababayan araw-araw,” he added, emphasizing that the amnesty is part of a broader effort to make healthcare more accessible.
(This is why we are doing this to ease the burden on our fellow citizens when it comes to healthcare costs and the various challenges they face every day.)
The program, set to take effect this year, grants a one-time waiver of all interests on missed payments for the year 2026. This initiative is expected to provide relief to approximately 300,000 beneficiaries, including private employers, small business owners, and self-employed individuals who have struggled to keep up with monthly premiums.
Under the amnesty program, employers and members are given a one-year window to settle all missed contributions spanning from 2013 to 2024, allowing them to pay their arrears without the burden of accumulated interest.
Meanwhile, President Marcos has called on employers to update their records and enroll their employees in the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) to ensure their access to comprehensive primary healthcare services.
YAKAP provides easier access to essential health needs, including free medicines under the Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (GAMOT) valued up to P20,000 annually, alongside critical cancer screening tests.
The program also serves as a vital referral gateway to specialty and higher-level care, guaranteeing uninterrupted continuity of health services for all beneficiaries.
It can be recalled that the newly signed Fiscal Year 2026 National Budget has allocated nearly P129.8 billion to PhilHealth to strengthen preventive healthcare and enhance essential benefit packages.
Among the priority programs of PhilHealth for 2026 is the implementation of an AI-enabled pre-validation system to enhance claim accuracy. This technology will automatically analyze electronically submitted claims to determine whether patients’ lab tests match their medical diagnoses, helping to prevent fraudulent health insurance claims and speed up medical reimbursements. (JMP/PIA-NCR)
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