ILOCOS SUR, Feb. 9 (PIA) - - With the full implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law this year, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is urging the public, especially 21-year-old and above, to register to enable them to avail of its services.

During the "Ammuentayo" radio program of the Philippine Information Agency Ilocos Sur, Dr. Helen Tobias, Chief Social Insurance Officer of PhilHealth Ilocos Sur said that individuals aged 21 years and above, employed or unemployed, should register to Philhealth to be classified as either direct contributors or indirect contributors.

Republic Act 11223 or the UHC Law defines direct contributors as those who are employed, self-employed, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), professional practitioners, and lifetime members who are financially capable while the indirect contributors are senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and indigent members classified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) who are financially incapable.

"The UHC guarantees that every Filipino is now covered with PhilHealth. They just need to come to the office to register for them to have a record (with us) and for them to gain what we call "immediate entitlement", which gives immediate eligibility and access to medical care," Dr. Tobias said.

She said that the problem now is that people think they can avail medical services even if they don't register to PhilHealth and/or don't pay their contributions.

"If you are financially capable, you have the responsibility to pay your contributions but if the social worker proves that you are financially incapable, the government would automatically shoulder your monthly contributions," she said.

Meanwhile, in the case of children who are below 21 but have gained employment, Dr. Tobias explained that they are disqualified from being dependents of parents because as employees, their employers are mandated to register them with PhilHealth and cover half of their monthly premium-the other half will be deducted from the employee's basic monthly salary.

She also said that married children are disqualified from being dependents.

However, PhilHealth grants exception to children with disability who are completely dependent on their parents for support.

"So to register, the applicant must first fill out the PhilHealth Member Registration Form and submit to the nearest PhilHealth office together with payment for the current quarter," Dr. Tobias added.

Republic Act 11223 was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in February 2019 while its Implementing Rules and Regulations was signed last October 10, 2019. This grants every Filipino access to preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative care for medical, dental, mental and emergency health services. (JCR/JMCQ/PIA Ilocos Sur)