PhilHealth-12 strengthens tie up with employers through PEER’s forum
HEALTH • 13:00 PM Sat Jul 20, 2019
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By:
Hanah G. Naanep/PhilHealth 12 information office
Employers in Region 12 listen as a representative from PhilHealth 12 explains corporation's policies. (PhilHealth photo)
KIDAPAWAN CITY - To reduce erroneous transactions and entries which will result to an increase in posted remittances and reports to the collection database, improve compliance to corporate policies, understand the implication of underpayments/selective reporting vis-à-vis recovery of unwarranted claims, and address Employer/PEERs issues and concerns on PhilHealth premium contribution related policies, PhilHealth 12 set a series of PEER’s Forum with employers in the Region in July this year.
PEER stands for PhilHealth Employers Engagement Representatives who serve as point person responding to all employers’ queries and concerns to PhilHealth.
This year’s fora with employers started in Kidapawan followed by the schedules in Gen. Santos, Cotabato, Isulan and Koronadal.
During the first round of forum, common issues taken up were all about unwarranted claims which compelled the employers to settle their obligations with PhilHealth.
Unwarranted claims refer to the properly filed claims by employed members but without qualifying contribution prior to the date of confinement.
To date, Collection Section of PhilHealth XII has already received 114 settlements amounting to P1.1 million out of 1,933 issued billing notices.
The forum served as an avenue for the corporation to help employers and PEERs understand and carry out their duties and obligations, according to Lorelie G. Bonilla, PhilHealth collection section head.
“You must understand that your primary obligation is to remit the premium contribution of your employees on time, submit report to get rid of interest charges and inconvenience in time of benefit availment,” she added.
Employers are bounded by law to collect premium and remit them to PhilHealth. Newly hired employees in the first place must be reported within the first 30 days upon assumption to their post and must be deducted and reported for their monthly contribution to the corporation.
“We are here to provide technical support in case you need to know more about the system that we employ to make your work easy in terms of submitting your report and remitting your contribution to PhilHealth. We want you to be more compliant to the corporate policies and we wanted to let you know about the implication of underpayment,” she added.
In addition to the collection policies and guidelines, PhilHealth 12 has likewise provided said employers with penal provisions and strict rules governing non-compliance.
“We do not want to litigate you inasmuch as we wanted you to be amenable with our corporate policies. Let us just be honest in our dealings because PhilHealth as an institution is here to help you in times of your hospitalization need,” Legal Service Office representative, Sharon B. Ysmael said.
Employers in return were given the privilege to be clarified of their issues and concerns and were given the chance to tell their side of the story.
PhilHelath also updated the employers about the Universal Health Care Program. (Hanah G. Naanep)