The government may well have to subsidize health insurance for kids below five years old since they are the most vulnerable among those not currently covered by Philippine Health Insurance Corp. A discussion paper written by Maria Elizabeth Puyat of Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said that only a third of the Philippine population aged five and below are covered by PhilHealth, and of those covered, less than seven out of 10 utilized in-patient benefits when confined. “This is a very low percentage given that PhilHealth boasted of 76 percent coverage in 2009,” the study titled, Factors Influencing PhilHealth Coverage and In-patient Benefit Utilization of Filipino Children under Five, said. Citing the 2008 National Demographic and Health Survey report, the paper said that children under five are more likely to use in-patient care than any other age groups.
