IKINALUGOD ng Anakalusugan nitong Biyernes ang desisyon ng Bureau of Internal Revenue na tapusin ang kontrobersyal na kautusan na nagpapataw ng buwis sa health insurance premiums ng mga mangagawa.

Pinangunahan ng Anakalusugan ang on-line petisyon para ipawalang-bisa ang Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) 50-2018, na nagu-utos na ang health card premiums ay dapat maisama sa P90,000 tax-free privilege sa mga benepisyo at bonus ngmga empleyado.

“HMOs are used by over 6 million of our working countrymen to augment Philhealth in cases of sickness and medical emergencies. They should not be made to suffer and pay taxes for a benefit they will avail of in such extreme circumstances,” pahayag ng Anakalusugan.

“The ‘de minimis’ benefits with a threshold of P90,000 aim to alleviate our working and productive countrymen and adding HMO benefits will downscale whatever comfort they will receive for the work they provide,” anila.

Nauna nang binatikos ni Senator Sonny Angara, chairperson of the Senate committee on ways and means, ang naturang memorandum.

Ipinahayag naman ni BIR Commissioner Cesar Dulay na ang health insurance premiums ay hindi apektado ng Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.

“The implementation of the pertinent provisions under RMC No. 50-2018 relative to the group health insurance premiums and director’s fees, which were not affected by the provisions of the TRAIN Law, are hereby deleted from RMC 50-2018,” pahayag ni Dulay.