The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong has announced that representatives of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will be in Hong Kong for a week starting tomorrow, June 2, to conduct a “service mission.”
The team will be stationed at counters 12 and 13 at the Consulate offices on the 14th floor of United Centre Building in Admiralty from June 2 to 9, at 9am to 4pm.
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A key service that will be provided is the registration of Filipinos for PhilHealth membership. All applicants should bring their original passport and a copy of the information page with the photo and personal information of the holder.
While this registration service is free, it is not clear if the applicant will be automatically charged a monthly contribution as soon as the application is processed.
The monthly contribution will be based on their monthly salary, at the rate prescribed under the Universal Health Care law. As self-paying members, they are required starting last year, to make a monthly contribution of 5% of their monthly salary.
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For a Filipino working as a domestic helper, this would amount to at least $250 each month, or $3,000 a year, an amount that many OFWs in HK find excessive, even unnecessary, as they are already insured by their employers, or get medical care at minimal cost at public hospitals.
At least three months’ worth of contributions is mandated to be collected from the overseas applicant initially, but the entire contribution is to be paid by year’s end. Any late payment shall incur a monthly compounded interest.
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(A copy of the PhilHealth circular can be found here: https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/circulars/2020/circ2020-0014.pdf)
The other services that may be availed of at the Consulate include updating or amending member information and receiving claims for confinement abroad. Please refer to the posters for the important reminders and guidelines before proceeding to the Consulate.
