The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Saturday, Oct. 14, strongly encouraged its members to utilize the PhilHealth Member Portal as a secure means of accessing their membership and contribution records, in response to a recent data breach that disrupted its operations.
In a statement, PhilHealth Chief Emmanuel R. Ledesma, Jr., reminded the public to be cautious of phishing attacks that may result from the data leak.
He also strongly advised members to update their passwords with new and robust ones and refrain from sharing them with others.
"Mag ingat din po tayo sa mga nag-aalok online na sila na ang mag-aasikaso o kukuha ng inyong PhilHealth ID at MDR for a fee. Una, wala pong bayad ang ID at MDR. Ikalawa, wala tayong in-authorize na mag-ahente. Delikado po ito dahil makokompromiso ang inyong personal details (Let's also be cautious of those offering online services claiming to take care of or obtain your PhilHealth ID and MDR for a fee. First, there is no charge for the ID and MDR. Second, we have not authorized anyone to act as an agent. This is risky because your personal details could be compromised)," Ledesma said.
He also cautioned the public against falling for the numerous offers that circulate on social media, echoing the advice of experts not to entertain or click on strange links.
"It is best to ignore suspicious calls and to delete text or emails from unknown and suspicious senders to avoid being victimized by scammers," Ledesma said.
Moreover, PhilHealth said that the Member Portal not only provides access to vital information but also allows members to conveniently pay their contributions (applicable to self-paying members) and register with accredited Konsulta providers of their choice to receive primary care services covered by the state health insurer.
PhilHealth pointed out that the members seeking copies of their Member Data Record (MDR) can readily download and print them from the Portal via this link: https://memberinquiry.philhealth.gov.ph/member/.
To ensure the safety of their information, PhilHealth advised the members to be “vigilant” and access only the official website https://www.philhealth.gov.ph, taking note of the ".gov.ph" domain rather than ".com" or ".net."
The health insurer highlighted that the website connection should begin with "https" (hypertext transfer protocol secure) and display a padlock icon on the left side for a secure connection.
It also stressed that first-time users looking to utilize the Member Portal must create an account using their PhilHealth Identification Number (PIN) and a robust password.
Confirmation will be sent to their registered email address, and once verified by PhilHealth, members can begin using the portal's services, it added.
It is best to ignore suspicious calls and to delete text or emails from unknown and suspicious senders to avoid being victimized by scammers," he emphasized.
Moreover, PhilHealth said that the Member Portal not only provides access to vital information but also allows members to conveniently pay their contributions (applicable to self-paying members) and register with accredited Konsulta providers of their choice to receive primary care services covered by the state health insurer.
It pointed out that the members seeking copies of their Member Data Record (MDR) can readily download and print them from the Portal via this link: https://memberinquiry.philhealth.gov.ph/member/.
To ensure the safety of their information, PhilHealth advised the members to be “vigilant” and access only the official website https://www.philhealth.gov.ph, taking note of the ".gov.ph" domain rather than ".com" or ".net."
The health insurer highlighted that the website connection should begin with "https" (hypertext transfer protocol secure) and display a padlock icon on the left side for a secure connection.
It also stressed that first-time users looking to utilize the Member Portal must create an account using their PhilHealth Identification Number (PIN) and a robust password.
Confirmation will be sent to their registered email address, and once verified by PhilHealth, members can begin using the portal's services, PhilHealth added. (Zekinah Elize Espina)
