PHILHEALTH CONTRIBUTION / MATERNITY BENEFITS

Philhealth New Contribution

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) has released a new contribution schedule for its Direct Contributors in accordance to the Universal Health Care Law of 2019 and it’s implementing rules and regulations. Direct Contributors refer to those who are gainfully employed and bound by and employer-employee relationship. In its PhilHealth Circular No. 2019-0009 published on November 23, 2019, premium rate for Direct Contributors shall still be at 2.75% of their monthly salary with an adjusted ceiling of P50,000.00. This year, PhilHealth will increase the rate to 3% and henceforth adjusted to increments of 0.5% every year until it reaches the 5% limit in 2025 as provided for by law. Income floor is fixed at P10,000.00 during the 5-year period, while salary ceiling will gradually increase by P10,000.00 each year until it reachesP100,000.00 in 2025. Meanwhile, the rest of Direct Contributors may still avail of the existing rate of P2,400.00/year(or P3,600.00/year for those earning more than P25,000.00 per month) for a maximum of three years until December 06, 2019 only.

The New rate shall apply to all Direct Contributory members using the following schedule:

The new premium schedule took effect last December 07, 2019 or 15days after the publication of its Circular 2019-0009. It’s application for employed members will be for applicable month of December 2019(which is payable January 2020).

Maternity Leave Benefits

Republic Act No. 11210 otherwise known as “An Act Increasing the Maternity Leave Period to One Hundred Five (105) Days for Female Workers with an Option to Extend for an Additional Thirty (30) Days without Pay and Granting an Additional Fifteen (15) days for Solo Mothers and for Other Purposes was approved last February 20, 2019. Its Implementing Rule and Regulation (IRR) was signed last May 1, 2019.

The salient features of the law are as follows: 1)It grants to all covered female workers in the government and the private sector, including the informal economy, 105 days of fully paid leave. Previously, female workers could take maternity leave for 60 days for normal delivery and 78 days for caesarian operations. 2)The maternity leave is extendible by another 30 days but without pay. 3)If the female worker is a solo parent, as defined in the Solo Parent Act (R.A. 8972), she can have an additional 15 days of fully paid leave. 4)Female workers who suffered a miscarriage or had to undergo an emergency termination of the pregnancy are allowed to have a 60-day maternity leave. 5)The mother can transfer 7 days of her leave benefits to the father, extending the latter’s paid paternity leave to 14 days. 6)In the death, absence or incapacity of the father, the mother can choose to allocate up to 7 days of her maternity leave benefits to a relative within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or the current partner of the mother, so long as they share the same household.