OFWs launch global protest vs PhilHealth premium hike

Filipino overseas workers will launch a united campaign using the power of social media to protest Philhealth’s premium increase on the contribution of OFWs.

The campaign dubbed as “Global Webwide Protest to Stop Philhealth Increase” will run from July 20-25 in different social media platforms.

The online protest was initiated by Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards (PEBA) founding president Kenji Solis, who is based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

“Through its Facebook page Global OFW Voices, the voices of more than 10,000 OFWs, is being mobilized to stage synchronize protest on the different social media platforms of Philhealth, government officials including the President PNOY and other government agencies to air a unified message against the increase,” the group said.

Pinoys urged to register as PhilHealth members to get childbirth benefits

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is encouraging male overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to register as PhilHealth members to avail of childbirth benefits for their spouses in the Philippines.

In an interview with GMA News Online on Tuesday, Greg Rulloda, Vice President and spokesperson of the PhilHealth Corporate Affairs Group, said the existing childbirth benefits were enhanced to include prenatal, maternity, and newborn care benefits.

The benefits can also now be claimed nationwide.

“Tawag namin dito is ‘portability,’ kahit saang accredited hospital or professional ay pwede magpagamot. Even an OFW abroad who needs medical assistance can avail of this although he or his employer has to shoulder the expenses first,” Rulloda said.

PhilHealth offers affordable health care for kin of OFWs

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) can now ensure better health for their families and enjoy a worry-free stay abroad once they become a member of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., an official of the agency said yesterday.

PhilHealth executive officer Eduardo Banzon said at a cost of only P7.50 a day, OFWs can be shielded against unforeseen hospital and other medical expenses for the whole household.

“It would be prudent for them to invest a fairly small amount for the healthcare of their families here, especially their spouses who in most cases are the ones left behind to look after the household,” Banzon said.

He said wives of OFWs can avail themselves of P8,000 for every normal spontaneous delivery (or a total of P32,000 for up to four deliveries) in an accredited lying-in clinic or level 1 hospital.

250,000 OFWs deprived of PhilHealth benefits

Some 250,000 Filipino workers abroad have been deprived of their Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) benefits due to the agency’s unreliable encoding procedure, a recruitment industry leader said Thursday.

“The encoding process by PhilHealth is three to four months late and this results in OFW dependents being denied health and hospital benefits since their names do not appear in the PhilHealth data bank,” recruitment leader Lito Soriano said.

Soriano noted that the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) processes 75,000 contracts a month while PhilHealth cannot even process the papers of overseas Filipino workers.

He said the situation belies the claims of PhilHealth that OFWs could get more benefits by just paying P3.50 a day.

5M OFWs, dependents now covered by PhilHealth

Some five million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and dependents are now protected by the state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth).

In a news release on Friday, Dr. Eduardo Banzon, Philhealth president and chief executive officer, said: “We’ve so far signed up 2.52 million OFWs. Including their 2.48 million declared dependents, we now have around five million Filipinos covered by our Overseas Workers Program.”

Under the program, Banzon said active land-based OFWs who went through the prescribed registration process of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) are enlisted as Philhealth members.

OFWs who are already abroad but have not yet enrolled as Philhealth members may also register under the program, Banzon said.

What Pinoy workers can do if they get sick abroad

If an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) gets sick abroad, no need to worry, especially if he or she is a member of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), the state insurance company.

According to the Philhealth website, the amount spent for confinement or surgical operations abroad may be reimbursed by Philhealth members or their authorized representatives (i.e. a family member) in the Philippines.

The Philhealth member or representative must submit these documents in claiming the reimbursement:

- PhilHealth Claim Form 1 accomplished and signed by the member or his authorized representatives
- Photocopy of MDR (Member Data Record) or latest receipt
- Medical certificate with complete diagnosis, period of confinement and services rendered; and
- Statement of Account and/or official receipts with itemized charges; and other supporting documents

Qualified Dependents for OFW's Philhealth Member

The following also enjoy PhilHealth coverage without additional premiums for each qualified dependent:

- Legal spouse (non-member or membership is inactive)

- Child/ren - legitimate, legitimated, acknowledged and illegitimate (as appearing in birth certificate) adopted or step below 21 years of age, unmarried and unemployed. Also covered are child/ren 21 years old or above but suffering from congenital disability, either physical or mental, or any disability acquired that renders them totally dependent on the member for support.

- Parents (non-members or membership is inactive) who are 60 years old, including stepparents (biological parents already deceased) and adoptive parents (with adoption papers).

OFW group opposes hike in PhilHealth premiums

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are opposing the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.'s (PhilHealth) move to increase their membership premium contributions by 167%.

The PhilHealth Board recently issued a circular raising the health premiums of OFWs to P2,400 from the current P900, starting July 2012.

"The hike in OFWs health insurance premium will not only bleed us dry, it also sucks out our blood leading 'to death due to deprivation of free and affordable social services'. The government through various agencies is killing us so softly by imposing additional fees in pretense of better social services," said John Leonard Monterona, Migrante-Middle East regional director, in a statement.

PhilHealth Membership

To all my Kababayan's, who want to be a member of PhilHealth this is for you...

Who are qualified under the Overseas Worker Program (OWP) of PhilHealth?

- Active landbased OFWs who underwent the normal process of registration as an OFW at POEA Offices

- OFWs who are currently abroad but are not yet registered with PhilHealth

Note:
Sea-based OFWs such as seafarers are considered locally employed members and not Overseas Worker members.