Solo Parents Are Now Eligible for Free PhilHealth Coverage

(SPOT.ph) Solo parents in the country are set to receive free healthcare coverage from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

In September, PhilHealth released new guidelines providing free health services to solo parents and their registered children or dependents—without the need for premium contributions. To qualify, they must be registered with the Solo Parents Offices (SPOs) or Solo Parent Divisions (SPDs) in their local areas.

Also read: Solo Parents, Expect to Receive VAT Exemption + Cash Subsidy Soon

PhilHealth’s Enhanced Benefits for Solo Parents

According to PhilHealth’s Circular 2024-0020, solo parents and their children will be automatically included in the National Health Insurance Program. On top of health coverage, they’ll get discounts on necessities like baby formula, diapers, and prescribed medicines for kids under six. Plus, solo parents are entitled to a week of paid parental leave, regardless of employment, and will have priority access to telecommuting opportunities.

PhilHealth will update its membership registration form to include new fields that make it easier for solo parents to be recognized and receive the benefits they deserve. However, the agency stressed that only those with a valid Solo Parent Identification Card (SPIC) issued by local government units (LGUs) will qualify for automatic enrollment.

“A revised PhilHealth membership registration form shall be issued to have the corresponding membership type and subtype for the solo parent,” the agency stated in the circular. Applicants are encouraged to obtain their SPIC from their local solo parents division to ensure their PhilHealth membership is updated.

Meanwhile, the premium contributions of single dads and moms who have jobs in the formal economy “shall be shared equally by their respective employers and the national government.”

Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte, who authored the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act, explained that the enhanced law enhances the original Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2000.

He noted that PhilHealth’s automatic coverage for solo parents aligns with the law’s mandate to uphold the “natural and primary rights and duty of solo parents in rearing their children.”