PhilHealth-8 regional and provincial officials in an interaction with local media practitioners and government communicators during a press conference organized by the healthcare agency in Maasin City on April 22. (Photo courtesy of PhilHealth)
MAASIN CITY (PIA) — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is now automatically enrolling solo parents – a mother or a father taking care or raising a child alone — including the children 20 years old and below.
This is just one of the many expanded healthcare benefits PhilHealth recently implemented, said Acisclo Militante Jr., the division chief of PhilHealth-8’s Field Operations Division.
“Solo parents and their dependent children shall be automatically covered, their premium contributions are paid by the national government,” Militante pointed out during a press conference on Tuesday, April 22, at Southern Leyte Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SLEM) main office in Barangay Asuncion, this city.
He added that solo parents are enrolled in PhilHealth as principal members, under the ‘Indirect Contributor’ membership type and ‘solo parent’ subtype.
Among the requirements for registration is a photocopy of solo parent identification card issued by the local social welfare and development office, a duly accomplished membership form, then wait for the issuance of Member Data Record (MDR) and PhilHealth ID, Militante informed.
Misael Paigan, PhilHealth Southern Leyte provincial head underscores the continued coverage for indigent individuals and other groups that should be enrolled due to special laws during a press conference in Maasin City on April 22. (Photo: PIA Southern Leyte)
Misael Paigan, PhilHealth’s Local Health Insurance Officer (LHIO) in Southern Leyte, reported that solo parents have been included among the indirect members, a similar classification with Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities (PWDs), based on special laws that they should be members of PhilHealth.
Indirect members are those whose premiums were paid by the national government, while direct members are those with capacity to pay, Paigan said.
He emphasized that as everyone already knew PhilHealth’s subsidy, which should have been used for payment to indirect members, was not included in this year’s budget, yet coverage for indirect members pushed through, with solo parents now added, implying a robust financial health status of PhilHealth.
“So, mao na ni kadtong pangutana ninyo nga there is no subsidy from the national government. Ang premium sa mga indirect contributors mao ni ang wala budget-ti sa atong national government…for 2025, ang national government wala nag-gahin og pundo para sa premium nianing mga indirect contributors,” Paigan explained.
So, this is what you are asking for, that there is no subsidy from the national government. The premium for indirect contributors is what our national government has not budgeted for…for 2025, the national government has not allocated funds for the premium for these indirect contributors,” Paigan explained.
“However, tungod kay naa tay pundo, ang PhilHealth padayon ta sa atong serbisyo and even naghatag tag increase sa atong mga benepisyo,” Paigan added.
(However, because we have funds, PhilHealth has continued its service, even increased our healthcare benefit packages.)
In addition to compliance with RA 11861 or the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2022, coverage for solo parents was also mandated through PhilHealth Circular No. 2024-0020. (MMP/PIA Southern Leyte)
