Mandatory Coverage of Bus Drivers and Conductors under PhilHealth Formal Sector Program

June 12, 2012

PHILHEALTH CIRCULAR NO. 034-12

 

Consistent with the issuances of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for the protection and welfare of drivers and conductors employed in the public utility bus transport industry and in consonance with PhilHealth's commitment towards ensuring that "Bawat empleyado miyembro, Bawat miyembro protektado, Kalusugan segurado",drivers and conductors employed in the public utility bus transport industry shall be mandatorily covered under the PhilHealth Formal Sector Program.

I. Legal Basis

DOLE Department Order No. 118-12 s. 2012 Re: Rules and Regulations Governing the Employment and Working Conditions of Drivers and Conductors in the Public Utility Bus Transport Industry, Rule V. Social Protection:

Section 1. Social Welfare Benefits. — "Without prejudice to established company policy, collective bargaining agreement or other applicable employment agreement, all bus drivers and conductors shall be entitled to coverage for social welfare benefits such as Pagibig Fund (Republic Act No. 7742), PhilHealth (Republic Act No. 7875, as amended by Republic Act No. 9241), Employees' Compensation Law (Presidential Decree No. 626), Social Security Law (Republic Act No. 1161 as amended by Republic Act No. 8282)and other applicable laws. . . ."

LTFRB Memorandum Circular No. 2012-001 Re: Labor Standards Compliance Certificate:

Benefits — "All PUB drivers and conductors shall likewise be entitled to retirement benefits and to all mandatory social security benefits such as memberships in the SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-ibig as specified by law."

II. Coverage

This guideline shall apply in the mandatory coverage of bus drivers and conductors in the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP).

III. Registration

A. All Bus Operators as employers, shall undertake the following registration procedures: IAEcCT

1. Completely fill-out the Employer Registration Form (ER1);

2. Provide bus drivers and conductors a PhilHealth Member Registration Form (PMRF);

3. Consolidate the accomplished PMRF and corresponding registration requirements;

4. Submit to the nearest PhilHealth Regional Offices (PROs)/Branches/Local Health Insurance Offices (LHIOs) the duly accomplished ER1 and PMRF together with supporting registration documents (please visit www.philhealth.gov.ph for the complete list of registration requirements);

5. Upon processing of submitted documents, Bus Operators shall be issued with:

5.1. PhilHealth Employer Number (PEN) and Certificate of Registration (COR)

5.2. PhilHealth Identification Number (PIN) and Member Data Record (MDR) of the registered drivers and conductors EIcSTD

6. Bus Operators shall distribute the PIN and MDR to the concerned drivers and conductors.

B. Bus Drivers and Conductors shall undertake the following:

1. Fill-out the PMRF;

2. Submit the properly accomplished PMRF and corresponding registration requirements to their respective Operator.

IV. Premium Contribution, Remittance and Reporting

A. PREMIUM CONTRIBUTION

1. The premium contribution schedule for the members of the Employed Segment as prescribed in Item B of PhilHealth Circular No. 01, s. 2005 (Annex A) shall be adopted until December 2012. By January 2013, the new premium contribution schedule as provided in PhilHealth Circular No. 11, s. 2012 (Annex B) shall be used.

2. The employee's monthly premium contributions shall be deducted and withheld automatically by the employer from employees' monthly basic salary. The employer counterpart in the payment of contribution shall not in any manner be charged to the employee.

B. REMITTANCE and REPORTING

1. Premium remittance should be made on or before the 10th day of the month following the applicable month.

2. Consistent with PhilHealth Circular No. 25, s. 2012 Re: Mandatory use of EPRS in Preparation and Submission of RF-1 report and Phasing Out of Other Reporting Scheme, Bus Operators are advised to coordinate with the nearest PhilHealth Regional Offices/Branches/Local Health Insurance Offices for the orientation/training on the use of Electronic Premium Reporting System (EPRS).

3. The failure of the employer to remit the required contribution and to submit the required remittance list shall make the employer liable for reimbursement of payment of a properly filed claim in case the concerned employee or his/her dependent/s avails of NHIP benefits, without prejudice to the imposition of other penalties as provided for in the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of the National Health Insurance Act of 1995 (Republic Act 7875, as amended). HDIaET

V. Effectivity

The mandatory coverage of bus drivers and conductors in the NHIP shall take effect on July 1, 2012.

All issuances inconsistent with this Circular are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

(SGD.) DR. EDUARDO P. BANZONPresident and CEO

July 12, 2012

Date signed

ANNEX A

PHILHEALTH CIRCULAR NO. 01-05

 

 

Pursuant to PhilHealth Board Resolution No. 735, s-2004 dated 16 December 2004 which was passed to ensure that social solidarity is achieved and financial viability of the Health Insurance Fund (HIF) is sustained, please be advised that the premium contribution schedule for members of the Employed Sector shall be revised as follows:

A. Effective 1 January 2006 HEcIDa

 

Monthly				Employee Share	Employer Share
Salary	Monthly Salary	Salary Base	Total Monthly	(EeS)	(ErS)
Bracket	Range	(SB)	Contribution	(Ees = 0.5 x TMC)	(Ers = 0.5 x TMC)
1	4,999.99 and below	4,000.00	100.00	50.00	50.00
2	5,000.00 to 5,999.99	5,000.00	125.00	62.50	62.50
3	6,000.00 to 6,999.99	6,000,00	150.00	75.00	75.00
4	7,000.00 to 7,999.99	7,000.00	175.00	87.50	87.50
5	8,000.00 to 8,999.99	8,000.00	200.00	100.00	100.00
6	9,000.00 to 9,999.99	9,000.00	225.00	112.50	112.50
7	10,000.00 to 10,999.99	10,000.00	250.00	125.00	125.00
8	11,000.00 to 11,999.99	11,000.00	275.00	137.50	137.50
9	12,000.00 to 12,999.99	12,000.00	300.00	150.00	150.00
10	13,000.00 to 13,999.99	13,000.00	325.00	162.50	162.50
11	14,000.00 to 14,999.99	14,000.00	350.00	175.00	175.00
12	15,000.00 to 15,999.99	15,000.00	375.00	187.50	187.50
13	16,000.00 to 16,999.99	16,000.00	400.00	200.00	200.00
14	17,000.00 to 17,999.99	17,000.00	425.00	212.50	212.50
15	18,000.00 to 18,999.99	18,000.00	450.00	225.00	225.00
16	19,000.00 to 19,999.99	19,000.00	475.00	237.50	237.50
17	20,000.00 to 20,999.99	20,000.00	500.00	250.00	250.00
18	21,000.00 to 21,999.99	21,000.00	525.00	262.50	262.50
19	22,000.00 to 22,999.99	22,000.00	550.00	275.00	275.00
20	23,000.00 to 23,999.99	23,000.00	575.00	287.50	287.50
21	24,000.00 to 24,999.99	24,000.00	600.00	300.00	300.00
22	25,000.00 and up	25,000.00	625.00	312.50	312.50

 

B. Effective 1 January 2007

 

Monthly				Employee Share	Employer Share
Salary	Monthly Salary	Salary Base	Total Monthly	(EeS)	(ErS)
Bracket	Range	(SB)	Contribution	(Ees = 0.5 x TMC)	(Ers = 0.5 x TMC)
1	4,999.99 and below	4,000.00	100.00	50.00	50.00
2	5,000.00 to 5,999.99	5,000.00	125.00	62.50	62.50
3	6,000.00 to 6,999.99	6,000.00	150.00	75.00	75.00
4	7,000.00 to 7,999.99	7,000.00	175.00	87.50	87.50
5	8,000.00 to 8,999.99	8,000.00	200.00	100.00	100.00
6	9,000.00 to 9,999.99	9,000.00	225.00	112.50	112.50
7	10,000.00 to 10,999.99	10,000.00	250.00	125.00	125.00
8	11,000.00 to 11,999.99	11,000.00	275.00	137.50	137.50
9	12,000.00 to 12,999.99	12,000.00	300.00	150.00	150.00
10	13,000.00 to 13,999.99	13,000.00	325.00	162.50	162.50
11	14,000.00 to 14,999.99	14,000.00	350.00	175.00	175.00
12	15,000.00 to 15,999.99	15,000,00	375.00	187.50	187.50
13	16,000.00 to 16,999.99	16,000.00	400.00	200.00	200.00
14	17,000.00 to 17,999.99	17,000.00	425.00	212.50	212.50
15	18,000.00 to 18,999.99	18,000.00	450.00	225.00	225.00
16	19,000.00 to 19,999.99	19,000.00	475.00	237.50	237.50
17	20,000.00 to 20,999.99	20,000.00	500.00	250.00	250.00
18	21,000.00 to 21,999.99	21,000.00	525.00	262.50	262.50
19	22,000.00 to 22,999.99	22,000.00	550.00	275.00	275.00
20	23,000.00 to 23,999.99	23,000.00	575.00	287.50	287.50
21	24,000.00 to 24,999.99	24,000.00	600.00	300.00	300.00
22	25,000.00 to 25,999.99	25,000.00	625.00	312.50	312.50
23	26,000.00 to 26,999.99	26,000.00	650.00	325.00	325.00
24	27,000.00 to 27,999.99	27,000.00	675.00	337.50	337.50
25	28,000.00 to 28,999.99	28,000.00	700.00	350.00	350.00
26	29,000.00 to 29,999.99	29,000.00	725.00	362.50	362.50
27	30,000.00 and up	30,000.00	750.00	375.00	375.00

 

Contributions from the public and private sector employers should be remitted on or before the 10th calendar day of the month following the applicable month at any PhilHealth Offices or through Accredited Collecting Agents and their branches nationwide. The remittance of premium contribution by the employer shall be supported by a Quarterly Remittance List to be submitted to PhilHealth not later than 15 calendar days after the end of each calendar quarter.

Failure of the employer to remit the required contribution and to submit the required remittance list shall make the employer liable for reimbursement of payment of a properly filed claim in case the concerned employee or his/her qualified dependent/s avail/s of PhilHealth benefits, without prejudice to the imposition of other penalties as provided for in the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of the National Health Insurance Act of 1995 (Republic Act 7875 as amended).

All issuances inconsistent with this Circular are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. CSaIAc

(SGD.) FRANCISCO T. DUQUE III, MD, MSc.SecretaryPresident and CEO

ANNEX B

PHILHEALTH CIRCULAR NO. 011-12

 

Section II (D) of PhilHealth Circular No. 022, s. 2011 Re: New Premium Contributions to the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) in support for the attainment of Universal Health Care and Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) health targets by 2015, prescribes that: SDTIaE

"Premium contributions from the Formal Sector employees and their employers shall be computed at three percent (3%) of the basic monthly salary of the employee effective 01 January 2013 and shall be continually shared equally by its employer: Provided, That the monthly salary base is determined at Seven Thousand Pesos (Php7,000.00) with the minimum annual contribution of Two Thousand Five Hundred Twenty Pesos (Php2,520.00) and the monthly salary ceiling is determined at Fifty Thousand Pesos Php50,000.00)."

Hence, effective 01 January 2013 premium contribution schedule for the formal sector employees and their employers is revised as follows: EAIaHD

 

Monthly Salary Range	Monthly Premium	Personal Share	Employer Share
	Rate
Php7,000.00 and below	210.00	105.00	105.00
Php7,000.00 up to Php50,000.00	3%	1.5%	1.5%
Php50,000.00 and above	1,500.00	750.00	750.00

 

 

All employers are hereby reminded that monthlypremium contributions should be remitted on or before the 10th day of the month following the applicable month at any PhilHealth Offices or through PhilHealth Accredited Collecting Agents and their branches nationwide. Theremittance of premiumcontributionmustbesupportedby a monthly Employer Remittance List (RF-1) which shall be submitted to nearest PhilHealth Offices not later than 15th day of the month following the applicable month.

The failure of the employer to remit the required contribution and to submit the required remittance list shall make the employer liable for reimbursement of payment of a properly filed claim in case the concerned employee or his/her qualified dependent/s avail/s of PhilHealth benefits, without prejudice to the imposition of other penalties as provided for in the revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of the National Health Insurance Act of 1995 (Republic Act of 1995 (Republic Act 7875) as amended).

All issuances inconsistent with this Circular are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. acEHSI

 

(SGD.) DR. EDUARDO P. BANZONPresident and CEO