SENIOR’S MOMENT: Mandatory Philhealth Coverage For All Senior Citizens

By Siesta-friendly

This November 2014, the government enacted Republic Act No. 10645 (“An Act Providing For The Mandatory Philhealth Coverage For All Senior Citizens, Amending For The Purpose Republic Act No. 7432, As Amended By Republic Act No. 9994, Otherwise Known As The “Expanded Senior Citizens Act Of 2010″)  thereby providing Philhealth coverage to all our senior citizens.

Prior to the amendment, only indigent seniors were automatically covered by Philhealth.  Now, all seniors are automatically covered.

The new law amends Section 5, sub-paragraph h(2) of RA 7432, as amended by RA 9994, and now reads as follows:

“SEC. 5. Government Assistance. – The government shall provide the following:

x x x

(h) Additional Government Assistance

(1)   xxx

(2) Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage

“All senior citizens shall be covered by the national health insurance program of PhilHealth. Funds necessary to ensure the enrollment of all senior citizens not currently covered by any existing category shall be sourced from the National Health Insurance Fund of PhilHealth from proceeds of Republic Act No. 10351, in accordance with the pertinent laws and regulations.

(3) x x x.”

That’s the only amendment of the new law and so the rest of the rules apply, meaning, the same identification requirements apply. Under Art. 5.5 Rule III of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 9994,   our seniors need only present any of the following proofs of identification:

“5.5 IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT – refers to any document or proof of being a senior citizen which may be used for the availment of benefits and privileges under the Act and its Rules. It shall be any of the following:

a)      Senior Citizens’ Identification Card issued by the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in the city or municipality where the elderly resides;

b)      The Philippine passport of the elderly person or senior citizen concerned; and

c)      Other valid documents that establish the senior citizen or elderly person as a citizen of the Republic and at least sixty (60) years of age, which shall include but not be limited to the following government-issued identification documents indicating an elderly’s birthdate or age: driver’s license, voters ID, SSS/GSIS ID, PRC card, postal ID.”

The aged do matter and this is the time when they need coverage the most.

An early Happy Christmas to all Seniors! 

 

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LAW 101: Senior Citizen Benefits

Senior Citizens shall be entitled to the following:

a. 20% discount from all services in hotels and similar lodging establishment, restaurants and recreation centers, and purchase of medicines in all establishments for the exclusive use or enjoyment of senior citizens, including funeral and burial services for the death of senior citizens;

b. minimum 20% discount on admission fees by theaters, cinema houses and concert halls, circuses, carnivals, and other similar places of culture, leisure and amusement for the exclusive use or enjoyment of senior citizens;

c. exemption from individual income taxes: Provided, That their annual taxable income does not exceed the poverty level as determined by the NEDA for that year;

d. exemption from training fees for socioeconomic programs;

e. free medical and dental service, diagnostic and laboratory fees such as, but not limited to, x-rays, computerized tomography scans and blood tests, in all government facilities, subject to DOH guidelines issued in coordination with PHILHEALTH;

f. 20% discount on medical and dental services, and diagnostic and laboratory fees provided under Section 4(e), including professional fees of attending doctors in all private hospitals and medical facilities, Subject to DOH rules and regulations issued in coordination with PHILHEALTH;

g. 20% discount in fare for domestic air and sea travel for the exclusive use or enjoyment of senior citizens;

h. 20% discount in public railways, skyways and bus fare for the exclusive use and enjoyment of senior citizens;

i. educational assistance to senior citizens to pursue post secondary, tertiary, post tertiary, as well as vocational or technical education in both public and private schools through provision of scholarship, grants, financial aid subsidies and other incentives to qualified senior citizens, including support for books, learning materials, and uniform allowance, to the extent feasible: Provided, That senior citizens shall meet minimum admission requirement;

j. to the extent practicable and feasible, the continuance of the same benefits and privileges given by the GSIS, SSS and PAG-IBIG, as the case may be, as are enjoyed by those in actual service;

k. retirement benefits of retirees from both the government and private sector shall be regularly reviewed to ensure their continuing responsiveness and sustainability, and to the extent practicable and feasible, shall be upgraded to be at par with the current scale enjoyed by those in actual service;

l. to the extent possible, the government may grant special discounts in special programs for senior citizens on purchase of basic commodities, subject to the guidelines to be issued by the DTI and the DA; and

m. provision of express lanes for senior citizens in all commercial and government establishments; in the absence thereof, priority shall be given to them.

In the availment of the above privileges, the senior citizen may submit as proof of entitlement thereto any of the following:

a. ID issued by the city or municipal mayor or of the barangay captain of the place where the senior citizen resides;
b. passport; or
c. other documents that establish that the senior citizen is a citizen and is at least 60 years old.

Source:
Republic Act No. 9257 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003).