Senator Loren Legarda has filed a groundbreaking bill to establish the PhilHealth Member Recognition Program (PMRP), a measure designed to recognize and reward the loyalty of long-term contributors to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

This initiative aims to address long-standing grievances about inequities in the national health insurance system, where many contributors feel their years of premium payments have not been adequately reflected in their benefits.

The PMRP is a points-based rewards system that grants members additional tangible benefits beyond the standard PhilHealth package.

Members who have consistently paid premiums will accumulate points, which can be redeemed for enhanced healthcare services, including better accommodations in hospitals, coverage of out-of-pocket expenses, and access to additional health-related services like preventive care and non-medical health services.

These points will be earned both prospectively and retroactively, with the retroactive rewards covering up to 10 years of payments or from the start of their membership, whichever is shorter.

This means that long-time contributors who have been paying their premiums consistently will not only start accumulating points going forward but will also benefit from recognition of their past contributions.

Loyalty Bonuses will be introduced to reward members for staying committed to the program for extended periods.

Contributors who have paid premiums for 5, 10, or 20 years without interruption will receive bonuses as a form of appreciation for their sustained commitment to the health insurance system. Senator Legarda emphasized that this is an effort to recognize the sacrifices of Filipinos who have faithfully contributed to the system, saying, “This bill seeks to right that wrong by acknowledging their loyalty and ensuring they feel valued.”

The bill also seeks to address a major criticism of the current PhilHealth system — the perception that contributors receive little in return for their years of financial support.

Many members, particularly low-income workers and those in the informal sector, have expressed dissatisfaction over the minimal benefits they receive compared to their contributions. As a result, some individuals are forced to seek private insurance to cover gaps in PhilHealth’s coverage, while others struggle to gain adequate support through government programs.

To counteract this, the PMRP is designed to strengthen the relationship between members and PhilHealth by ensuring that the benefits provided are more aligned with the contributions made. In addition to the loyalty points, the bill proposes to incentivize preventive healthcare.

Members will earn additional points by availing themselves of preventive services such as vaccinations, annual health check-ups and screenings.

This will not only benefit the members by promoting healthier lifestyles but also help PhilHealth reduce the overall cost burden by minimizing expensive emergency treatments