PhilHealth Requirements for Students: Guide to Registration
Nobody is immune to sickness.
Therefore, you need health insurance to pay for your hospital expenses when the unexpected happens.
But what if you’re still a young, unemployed student? Should you just let your parents carry the financial burden of your hospitalization?
Fortunately, you don’t have to. PhilHealth is the government’s health insurance provider that gives everyone access to affordable health care.
Here’s your guide to PhilHealth requirements for students and the registration process to become a member.
Disclaimer: This article has been published for educational purposes only. Neither the author nor FilipiKnow is affiliated with PhilHealth, so specific queries about your membership and insurance benefits must be forwarded to the proper authority.
Related: How to Compute PhilHealth Contribution: A Complete Guide to Contribution Table and Payment
Table of Contents
Can Students Apply for PhilHealth?
Yes. PhilHealth benefits are accessible to everyone, including students. All Filipinos are automatically entitled to PhilHealth benefits by virtue of the Universal Health Care Law. However, you must register to avail them 2.
The contributions of PhilHealth-registered students depend on their age and employment status.
Students below 21 years old don’t have to pay contributions, provided they’re added as one of their parents’ dependents.
Once they reach their 21st birthday, students can register as formally employed or voluntary members and pay the minimum monthly premium.
If the students are already 21 years old but still can’t afford the monthly PhilHealth contribution, they can apply as indigent members to still avail of the benefits until they can land a job.
For a more detailed discussion, please read the subsequent sections.
For Students Below 21 Years Old
Students below 21 can become PhilHealth members and enjoy its benefits without additional premiums. However, they shall be classified as dependent members3.
Stepchildren and legitimated children are also qualified as dependent members4, provided they’re still unemployed and unmarried. For acknowledged and illegitimate adopted children, their status must be reflected in their birth certificates.
Dependent members are individuals whose contributions are being paid for by eligible/principal members (e.g., all Filipinos 21 years old and above with the capacity to pay5) and are declared as such by the principal member in their updated Member’s Data Record (MDR).
The dependents shall receive separate coverage for up to 45 days per calendar year, but the allowance shall be shared among them.
PhilHealth Requirements for Students Below 21 Years Old
To register, the principal member must go to the PhilHealth office and submit his/her PhilHealth Member Registration Form (PMRF) along with the following requirements to declare the student as one of the dependents:
Table 1. Summary of supporting requirements6(These are to be attached with PMRF)
| DECLARATION OF DEPENDENTS | REQUIREMENTS |
| Students (legitimate or illegitimate) below 21 years old. | Any of the following: > Birth certificate; OR > Any valid IDs/ documents in Table 2 (1.2 and 2) Note: If submitting a birth certificate, the registry number must be reflected. If submitting a baptismal certificate, the name of the member-parent must be reflected. |
| Students below 21 years old who are adopted | Court Decree/ resolution of adoption; AND Any of the following: > Birth Certificate of the adopted child; OR > Any two (2) valid IDs/documents in Table 2: a. One from 1.2 AND b. One from 2 |
| Students below 21 years old who are stepchildren | Marriage Certificate (with registry number) between natural parent and stepmother/stepfather; AND Any of the following: > Birth Certificate of the adopted child; OR > Any two (2) valid IDs/ documents in Table 2: a. One from 1.2 AND b. One from 2 |
Table 2. List of other Valid Identification Cards and Documents Acknowledged by PhilHealth
| PURPOSE | REQUIREMENTS |
| 1. Proof of Identity 1.1 For 18 yrs. old and above | a. Baptismal Certificate b. GSIS/SSS Member’s ID c. Passport d. Driver’s License e. PRC ID f. NBI Clearance g. Police Clearance h. Voter’s ID i. Postal ID j. Senior Citizen’s Card k. OWWA ID l. OFW ID m. Alien Certification of Registration/Immigrant Certification of Registration n. Identification Cards Issued by Recognized Government Institutions/Agencies/Corporations o. Certificate from the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (NCWDP) p. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or Local Social Welfare Development Officer (LSWDO) Certification q. Integrated Bar of the Philippines Identification Card r. Company IDs issued by private entities or institutions registered with or supervised or regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), or Insurance Commission (IC) s. Barangay Certification, subject to validation t. Affidavit from two (2) Disinterested Persons, subject to validation |
| 1.2 For minors below 18 yrs old | a. Certificate of live birth (newborns) b. Baptismal Certificate c. School ID d. Passport e. Police Clearance f. Alien Certification of Registration/Immigrant Certification of Registration g. Certificate from the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (NCWDP) h. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or Local Social Welfare Development Officer (LSWDO) Certification i. Integrated Bar of the Philippines Identification Card j. Barangay Certification, subject to validation k. Affidavit from two (2) Disinterested Persons, subject to validation |
| 2. Proof of Relationship | a. Certificate of live birth ( for newborns) b. Baptismal Certificate c. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or Local Social Welfare Development Officer (LSWDO) Certification d. Barangay Certification, subject to validation e. Affidavit from two (2) Disinterested Persons, subject to validation |
Note that students 21 years old and above but with physical or mental disabilities are eligible as dependents of PhilHealth members7. Together with the PMRF, they need to submit a birth certificate and an original copy of a medical certificate issued within the last six months indicating the person’s disability.
For Students 21 Years Old and Above
Students 21 years old and above are no longer qualified to be their parents’ dependents unless he/she has a physical/mental congenital disability as determined by PhilHealth. Therefore, they are already required to register either as an employee/formal economy member (if already employed) or voluntary/informal economy member (if unemployed but can afford to pay the monthly contributions).
Therefore, they are already required to register either as an employee/formal economy member (if already employed) or voluntary/informal economy member (if unemployed but can afford to pay the monthly contributions).
To register with PhilHealth, follow the instructions in this article. If you want to know how much PhilHealth contributions you need to pay monthly as a new member, please refer to this guide.
Are you at least 21 years old, jobless, and don’t have the means to pay even the minimum monthly contribution?
No problem. You can still avail of PhilHealth benefits as an indigent member8.
Here are the PhilHealth requirements for students that are qualified as indigent members:
- Certification from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) or the medical social worker in the hospital. This certification will attest that you belong to the poorest of the poor under the National Household Targeting System (NHTS).
- Barangay clearance
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate (if married)
Students will stay under this indigent category until they can get a job and afford the monthly PhilHealth premium.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much is the PhilHealth premium for students?
The current PhilHealth premium for regular members is PHP 400 (4% premium rate)9.
For the latest PhilHealth contribution rate, please refer to this article. If you’re an employed student who is at least 21 years old, you need to pay this amount monthly.
2. Is PhilHealth registration free for students?
Yes, you don’t have to spend money on your PhilHealth registration. In case you’re not a dependent or indigent member, the only amount you have to pay is the monthly premium.
References
- Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. (2022). CY 2022 Premium Contribution Schedule for All Direct Contributors. Retrieved from https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/advisories/2022/adv2022-0010.pdf
- Department of Health (DOH). (2020). PhilHeath expedites 100% inclusion of all Filipinos in NHIP as part UHC. Retrieved from https://doh.gov.ph/doh-press-release/PHILHEALTH-EXPEDITES-100-INCLUSION-OF-ALL-FILIPINOS-IN-NHIP-AS-PART-UHC
- Qualified Dependents for Sponsored Members. Retrieved 27 January 2021, from https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/members/sponsored/dependent.html#gsc.tab=0
- Qualified Dependents for Sponsored Members. Retrieved 16 August 2022, from https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/members/sponsored/dependent.html
- PhilHealth Members. Retrieved 27 January 2021, from https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/members/#gsc.tab=0
- Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. (2012). PhilHealth Circular No. 050 s. 2012. Retrieved from https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/circulars/2012/circ50_2012.pdf
- Family Guide on PhilHealth Benefits, Availments, and Responsibilities. [Ebook] (p. 7). Retrieved from https://doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/publications/Family_Guide_on_Philhealth.pdf
- Petinglay, A. (2020). 21-yr-old and above told to register with PhilHealth. Retrieved 27 January 2021, from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1094974
- Philippine Health Insurance Corporation. (2022). CY 2022 Premium Contribution Schedule for All Direct Contributors. Retrieved from https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/advisories/2022/adv2022-0010.pdf
Written by Jewel Kyle Fabula
Jewel Kyle Fabula
Jewel Kyle Fabula graduated Cum Laude with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of the Philippines Diliman. He is also a nominee for the 2023 Gerardo Sicat Award for Best Undergraduate Thesis in Economics. He is currently a freelance content writer with writing experience related to technology, artificial intelligence, ergonomic products, and education. Kyle loves cats, mathematics, playing video games, and listening to music.
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