Now that we are amid a pandemic, we realize how important it is to be covered by a health insurance that we can depend on for additional cash in case of hospitalization. But what if you are just a student and are not yet legally allowed to work, how do you insure yourself? Can you still be a member of Philhealth and claim health assistance benefits from them?
The answer is… yes!
As Filipino citizens, we all have access to the government’s health insurance provider so we would have equal opportunities for affordable health care.
So, here is how you can be a member of Philhealth, as a student, and even when you have reached the age of emancipation but are not yet financially stable to support a monthly contribution to Philhealth.
Read on.
For students below 21 years old.
You shall be tagged as a dependent member and your Philhealth account is essentially dependent on a principal member’s account. This means that a principal member must nominate you as his or her dependent. This could be a parent, a sibling of legal age, or a legal guardian.
Your contributions shall be shouldered by the principal member.
To register as a dependent member of Philhealth, you need to submit the following at the nearest Philhealth office:
| Declaration of Dependents | Requirements |
| Students below 21 years old | Any of the following: PSA Birth CertificateAny valid ID/document acknowledged by Philhealth. (see table below) |
| Students below 21 years old who are adopted. | Court decree of adoptionPSA Birth Certificate orAny two valid IDs/documents acknowledged by Philhealth (see table below) |
| Students below 21 years old who are stepchildren | PSA Marriage Certificate between natural parent and step-parentPSA Birth Certificate of the adopted child orAny two valid IDs/documents acknowledged by Philhealth (see table below). |
For individuals who are at least 21 years old and do not have the means to pay monthly PhilHealth premiums:
You can still be listed as inactive members of PhilHealth until you are able to find a job or set-up a business and be able to afford your monthly PhilHealth contributions.
To qualify as an inactive member, you need to submit the following to the nearest PhilHealth office:
- Certification from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) to prove that you belong to the poorest of the poor category as defined by the National Household Targeting System (NHTS).
- Barangay clearance
- PSA Birth Certificate
- PSA Marriage Certificate
For more information on PhilHealth membership, you may call them at 02-8-4417442.
Reference:
filipiknow.net
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