Julia, my OFS who I turn to for a lot of content support, was sick with the stomach flu for a week.
I’m glad she’s finally back. It was bad, but thankfully, she didn’t need to be hospitalized. She just had to take meds and rest at home.
I was worried for her health, but not her finances. We provide PhilHealth (socialized medicine) and private health insurance which means that most of their medical expenses are covered.
These benefits are optional, but I offered them once our business was able to afford it for the following reasons:
1. My VAs don’t have to worry about asking for loans or a salary advance to cover their medical bills. They can simply focus on getting better, which helps them recover more quickly.
2. They get better medical care.
3. They’re pretty loyal because of it.
Even if you can afford to give your VA a loan or salary advance when they get sick, I recommend offering a private HMO if you can.
Where to start?
The best place to start would be with PhilHealth. It’s the Philippines’ form of socialized medicine, covering maternity, inpatient procedures, rehabilitation, and more. Contributions cost around $10 a month, which can be paid quarterly.
To make sure that your VA is paying into their PhilHealth, you offer to reimburse them for the contributions. This means they show you their receipts first before you pay for their contributions.
You can’t pay this for them. They have to sign up for it themselves. They pay directly to PhilHealth or through accredited payment partners.
If you’re worried that they might try to cheat you and not pay the PhilHealth contributions (or show you fake receipts), don’t. Most Filipinos value their PhilHealth memberships because their contributions can also cover their parents and children. If your VA’s child gets sick and needs to be hospitalized, your VA’s PhilHealth will cover the costs. This gives them and their family some security; they’re not going to risk their family’s health over a few extra dollars.
Once your business grows and you earn more, consider offering private health insurance. I can’t recommend which one is the best because it depends on your VA’s location, needs, and budget. However, you can direct them to MariaHealth, a private health insurance aggregator in the Philippines (Onlinejobs.ph does not have any working relationship with MariaHealth).
Have them research the best plans within your price range. Your VA does the application, paperwork, and payment, then reimburse them.
There are other benefits you can offer when you can afford it. The 13th month is culturally important, something you might want to consider now that we’re halfway through the year.
So yeah, I am glad Julia’s back. She’s catching up on work. Having PhilHealth and medical insurance has given both of us peace of mind throughout this period—something you might want to consider in the future with your Filipino VA.
John