My wife appears to believe that despite living in the UK, paying NI contributions and having a full time job, she should now be contributing 3-5% of her wages to PhilHealth. I say she's got it wrong, and that this applies only to people working abroad on a Visa/ work permit who otherwise would be living in the Philippines. Who's right?
Point 111 suggests your wife is right but I am not so sure it applies if you are not paying your salary into the Philippines taxing system,however I suppose if our wives wanted to go back for a holiday they would hope to be covered by PhilHealth but if they havent paid then would they be covered? https://newsherder.com/uae-2/2020/05/02/filipinos-overseas-3-health-insurance-premium-mandatory-this-year-2020/
The way I figured it, should we ever manage to make it back to the Philippines on a holiday, we would be in possession of a pretty comprehensive travel insurance policy anyway, whether contributing to Phil Health or not. I thought it would apply to those who would consider the Philippines to be their home, and to where they would return when not working.
I agree with you Chris. Unless you are planning to settle in the Philippines it seems that paying into the Philippine health service would be a waste of money if settled in the U.K. and paying NI stamps here?
As I said in the reply Chris I don't think it applies if your not paying into the Philippines coffers, ie the Philippines isn't your home country. We won't be paying it! If that helps! That said point 3 does say ALL Filipinos,
This helps https://filipiknow.net/philhealth-contribution/ Having read further I would say not to pay.
Weirdly saw this thread at same time as someone else not on here sent me link and question about it. There are penalties for not paying. Offenses of Members 38.10 A member who commits any violation of the Act; fails to pay all missed contributions with an interest, compounded monthly, as provided in Section 9 of the Act; or, knowingly and deliberately cooperates or agrees, whether explicitly or implicitly, to the commission of a violation by a contracted health care provider or employer, as defined in this provision, including the filing of a fraudulent claim for benefits or entitlement under the Act, shall be punished, after due notice and hearing, by a fine of Fifty thousand pesos (Php 50,000.00) for each count or suspension trom availment of the benefits of the Program for not less than three (3) months but not more than six (6) months, or both, at the discretion of PhilHealth. https://www.khaleejtimes.com/world/...e-to-philippine-health-insurance-contribution Reading above link implication is that records will be checked for payment before leaving but my reading of act was that only applied to OFW. That would be biggest worry if expanded beyond OFW. On a plus side legal spouse is included although not sure if that applies if foreigner. Sure phil health excluded them unless foreigner rate. Will have to investigate furthur although. When wife was in philippines used to pay into phil health but stoped when left. Not sure what we will do although as not working could get away with minimum of 300p a month.
In the UK Chris, your wife needs ten years NI contributions to qualify for pension, but she already qualifies for the NHS, the only reason to pay into the Philippines Social Security System is to acquire or retain SSS rights, payment of 120 monthly contributions over a lifetime is enough to secure a pension at age 60. PhilHealth makes little sense when your wife is protected by the NHS. The dual taxation arrangement and treatment of pensions between the UK and the Philippines means that any payment into the SSS system is probably worth it, as benefits would be available from both with enough qualifying years and the UK side would likely be more generous, but paying into PhilHealth makes little sense to me if the person is not resident in the Philippines.
My ex partner never paid a penny in Philhealth or SSS contributions (not quite true she has paid voluntary SSS recently) in her life, none of our extended family pay into PhilHealth, if they ever actually applied all the laws 70% of the country would end up in jail.
Just read your link in more detail, so this is a new law which applies to any Filipino national overseas, wow just wow, the audacity of it, saying that there are precedents Americans have to pay US tax no matter where they live. This sounds like a real whiz, Duterte locks down the country indefinitely and makes every slightly better off Filipino with a life overseas pay for it, just wow. (edit: I realise this was enacted last year)
I'm still trying to come up to speed on this one. Link to act is below if interested. https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/about_us/RA11223_UHC.pdf Think definitely going for overseas filipinos although some pluses if have family in philippines as it is 100% enrolment regardless of whether registered or not. Expected to pay unless have one of get out categories. Previously had to register and pay at least two quarters before could use benefits. https://filipiknow.net/philhealth-contribution/ Link above is interesting if wife is dual national but not checked out if correct.
PhilHealth just reduces your cost when you need healthcare, it does not remove cost, if you get ill you have to find a lot of money quickly, yeah anything that brings the price down is good, me personally I have had zero benefit from PhilHealth, every time my kids get sick I have to pay, I've had to pay full price for every vaccine every visit to a doctor every scare where the kids got sick and had a bad fever, a rabies vaccine when my daughter got bitten by a dog that was not cheap about 20,000 (can't remember) by the time it was all done. She (my ex) does not have it and could not pay it in her current situation (she is in South Korea) so the kids and family would not benefit anyway.
Aye, all everywhere, quite far reaching John, how much actual say do Filipino ex-pats get in their home country and now they have a new tax that they will disproportionately have to pay because they are lucky enough to have a rather better income than the ruling class are willing to provide for their citizens at home.
Hardly a fair tax, considering that extended family in Pinas cannot take advantage of it in case of dire need. I was made aware of it a while ago, but ignored it completely as it works better and cheaper to take travel health insurance as and when needed.
The below link are the implementation of the rules of Act RA11223. Section 5 suggests to me (unless I am reading it incorrectly always possible with me) that the Philippine government are working with all other governments to ensure all Filipinos either at home or abroad are paying into Healthcare system whether direct or indirect (UK National Insurance) and covering spouses. My interpretation would be of section 5 if my wife fell ill while in the Philippines her record would be checked before and during treatment to establish she is covered and the bill for hospital costs is covered in her case by NI contributions I think as a spouse this includes me! Pretty much like the EHIC system in Europe https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/about_us/UHC-IRR_Signed.pdf
My reading of it is that everyone is covered including extended family in Philippines and also whether registered or not. Everyone who can afford it is expected to pay in. Phil health was different in that had to register and pay or no benefit and also had to have two quarters of payments before could claim. If stopped paying then no benefit. This one potentially catches everyone including those who have no income where costs should be covered by government. Heading in direction of NHS and provision of care for everyone at least using public hospitals. This is different in that liability continues to mount up with interest if don't pay and there are penalties if don't pay - section 38 of the law. Also applies to employers who don't pay. I would not rely on it and travel insurance is my preferred option. Real concern is whether could stop departure from Philippines if visiting and not paid. OFW could be caught on that one as I believe they need certificate to leave and issue process can catch them if it does checks which seems to imply will happen. Only exited Philippines three times, twice on overseas visits and once to move to UK and only requirement we had to address was the cfo for settlement. Not sure if there is a process for exit if visiting but that is where they would catch people. Other scenario is if moved back to Philippines permanently then could face a back dated demand. Don't think you want to ignore it and think we need to understand implications down stream before deciding what to do. I've not worked out an answer to it.
This is an invasion of privacy, they are extending their tax system worldwide and in the process gathering information on foreign earnings and creating a reason for expats to be excluded from ever returning home, compound interest on a bill that a great many Filipinos might not even realise exists and only find out about the next time after they come home to visit their family. The Philippines has a track record on quietly hidden taxes that appear out of the blue years later, there is a property tax (ground tax) which is not small that has to be paid annually on even the most lowly shack, Nanay faced a bill greater than the price we paid for the ground in 2005 ten years later and no one ever explained to her that this tax existed. This is a tax on people that already only barely make a living like the many service workers in the middle east who will find it very hard to afford this.
