PhilHealth dependents: who you can declare and how

Your PhilHealth membership also covers your qualified dependents: a spouse who is not a member, unmarried and unemployed children under 21, foster children, and parents aged 60 or over who are not members themselves. They pay no premium of their own. To be covered they must be declared and listed on your Member Data Record, which you can do on PhilHealth’s Member Portal or at a PhilHealth office, including from abroad.

Who counts as a dependent

The Universal Health Care Act rules (Sec. 8.1) and PhilHealth’s Circular No. 2020-0005 list:

• Your legal spouse, if not an active PhilHealth member.
• Children below 21 who are unmarried and unemployed: legitimate, illegitimate, legally adopted or stepchildren. PhilHealth’s dependents page adds legitimated and acknowledged children, “as appearing in birth certificate”.
• Foster children. Circular No. 2024-0031 asks licensed foster parents for a copy of a valid Foster Placement Authority (or, for now, a Certificate of Emergency Placement from the NACC). Cover lasts as long as that document is valid.
• Parents aged 60 or over who are “not otherwise an enrolled member” (UHC Act rules). PhilHealth’s dependents page still uses older wording from RA 10606, about parents whose income is below a set amount and parents with a permanent disability who rely on the member.

PhilHealth’s dependents page says these family members “enjoy PhilHealth coverage without additional premiums”.

Children and parents with disability. PhilHealth’s texts differ here. The dependents page covers children 21 or over with a congenital or acquired disability that makes them totally dependent on the member. The registration form says dependents with disability are registered as members in their own right under RA 11228. Circular No. 2026-0017 (October 2026) says a person with disability under 21 who is on the PWD registry is registered as a principal member, “without prejudice to applicable rules on qualified dependents”. If this applies in your family, ask PhilHealth which way to register.

Solo parents. Circular No. 2026-0015 says PhilHealth recognises everyone listed on the back of a Solo Parent ID as a qualified dependent, including relatives up to the fourth degree, and that solo parents’ own premiums are paid by the national government.

How to declare or update dependents

PhilHealth’s dependents page says dependents “must be declared by the principal member” and listed on your Member Data Record (MDR). You can do it:

• Online, in the PhilHealth Member Portal, which lets you view your dependents and update your record (Advisory No. 2026-0016).
• At a PhilHealth office. PhilHealth’s steps: download the PhilHealth Member Registration Form (PMRF), tick “For updating”, fill it in, hand it in at the nearest PhilHealth office and wait for your updated MDR printout.
• Through PhilHealth Express, an accredited registration partner, or the eGovPH app (Circular No. 2026-0011).

The PMRF asks for each dependent’s full name, relationship, date of birth and citizenship. It says updates need “supporting documents to establish relationship between member and dependent/s”. PhilHealth’s Citizen’s Charter lists the documents for each type of dependent, such as the marriage certificate for a spouse and the birth certificate for a child. Advisory No. 2026-0051 (September 2026) says PhilHealth accepts PSA e-certificates, including birth, marriage and death certificates and the CENOMAR, at offices and as uploads on the Member Portal.

See our guide to the PhilHealth Member Data Record.

Declaring dependents from abroad

• Online. Advisory No. 2026-0042 says OFWs can update their records “through any PhilHealth Local Health Insurance Office (LHIO) or through the PhilHealth Member Portal”. Upload the PSA documents as clear digital copies.
• Give an email address. The registration form (PMRF) marks it “Required for OFW”.
• Through someone at home. A representative can deal with a PhilHealth office with your signed authorisation letter, a government ID of yours and one of theirs (Circular No. 2026-0011).

From abroad, PhilHealth’s desk for overseas Filipinos takes the same documents by email at ofp@philhealth.gov.ph, as scans, with the filled-in PMRF and a photo of you holding your ID (Citizen’s Charter).

When a dependent needs their own membership

• A spouse who is an active member is covered by their own membership.
• Children who turn 21, marry or start working stop being dependents. Every Filipino aged 21 and over is a member in their own right under the UHC Act rules, either paying their own premium or, if they can’t, with the government paying.
• Parents who are senior citizens can also be covered in their own right. PhilHealth’s senior citizens page includes dependents “who are senior citizens themselves”. See PhilHealth for senior citizens. PhilHealth does not say which record comes first if a parent qualifies both ways.

What dependents can use

Dependents can use the same benefits as the member: hospital stays, outpatient care, YAKAP primary care (they register for it themselves) and the Z Benefits. RA 10606 says “Members and their dependents are entitled to the following minimum services”. Advisory No. 2026-0042 adds that OFWs and their dependents abroad can claim a refund of PhilHealth’s case rate for a hospital stay overseas, filed within 180 days of discharge. See PhilHealth benefits.

More on PhilHealth for OFWs and their families is on our PhilHealth guide.