| schema:text
| - SUMMARY
This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
Claim: Members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will not be able to use their health benefits due to the agency’s zero subsidy from the government.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in a video posted on Facebook on December 15. As of writing, it has earned 4,800 reactions, 1,100 comments, 32,500 shares, and over 2.9 million views.
The video shows a group of healthcare workers with voiceover narration stating the following:
“I-hold niyo muna ang mga sakit niyo. Hindi tayo pwedeng magkasakit sa panahong ito, bakit? Naka-zero budget ang PhilHealth. Ikaw na kinakaltasan monthly, hindi mo mapapakinabangan ang PhilHealth mo.”
(We need to hold off on getting sick. We can’t afford to get sick at this time. Why? PhilHealth has zero budget. Even though your [salary] is being deducted monthly, you won’t be able to benefit from your PhilHealth membership.)
The facts: PhilHealth will have zero subsidies from the government in 2025, but the state insurer will still operate with a substantial budget.
PhilHealth has a P150-billion surplus from its 2024 budget, which will be used to cover members’ benefits despite the zero subsidy from the national government. Its corporate operating budget for 2025 is set at P284 billion, which includes allocations for various health services. This budget is primarily funded through member contributions and other revenues.
The Department of Health also said that PhilHealth’s operating budget “already factors in the zero government premium subsidy for indirect contributors for 2025.”
In a statement on December 16, PhilHealth president and CEO Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. assured members that the agency would continue to provide services despite not receiving a government subsidy.
Zero subsidy: PhilHealth was given a zero subsidy for 2025 primarily due to its substantial reserve funds which is around P600 billion. On December 11, the bicameral conference committee of Congress decided to cut PhilHealth’s previously proposed P74.43 billion subsidy for 2025, arguing that the agency’s reserves are sufficient to cover its costs. (READ: [In This Economy] Zero subsidies for PhilHealth in 2025: Are lawmakers out of their minds?)
Amid criticism from various groups and health advocates, Malacañang said it would postpone the signing of the 2025 national budget scheduled on December 20 to allow President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. more time for a thorough review. – Rappler.com
Rjay Zuriaga Castor is a 2024 Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow. He is a reporter for The Daily Guardian, an Iloilo-based newspaper.
Keep us aware of suspicious Facebook pages, groups, accounts, websites, articles, or photos in your network by contacting us at factcheck@rappler.com. Let us battle disinformation one Fact Check at a time.
Add a comment
How does this make you feel?
There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)