SSS Sickness Benefit 2026: Computation, Requirements & How to File
Quick Answer: SSS pays 90% of your Average Daily Salary Credit as daily cash while you can't work due to non-work-related sickness — hospital or home confinement of at least 4 days, plus at least 3 posted contributions in the 12 months before your semester of sickness. Up to 120 days a year. Notify your employer within 5 days for home confinement. Employed members file via their employer on My.SSS; self-employed, voluntary, and OFW members file directly. Work-related cases go through Employees' Compensation instead.
Table of Contents
- What is the SSS sickness benefit?
- Who qualifies?
- How much can you get? (Computation walkthrough)
- How many days can you claim?
- What are the deadlines?
- What documents do you need?
- How do you apply, step by step?
- What if your sickness or injury is work-related?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
What is the SSS sickness benefit?
The SSS sickness benefit is a daily cash allowance paid to a member who can't work because of sickness or injury — it is not a payment to a hospital and it does not settle a hospital bill directly. It replaces part of the income you lose while confined, whether that confinement is in a hospital or at home.
This is a different fund and a different purpose from PhilHealth's hospitalization benefits, which pay case rates directly against your hospital bill. SSS sickness benefit money goes to you (or is advanced by your employer and later reimbursed), so it functions as replacement income you can use however you need, including toward what PhilHealth and your HMO don't cover. Full program details are on sss.gov.ph.
Who qualifies?
You qualify if you meet all of the following conditions at the same time.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Confinement | Hospital or home confinement of at least 4 days |
| Contributions | At least 3 monthly contributions posted in the 12 months before the semester of sickness |
| Notification | Your employer (or SSS, if self-employed/voluntary/OFW) must be notified of your sickness |
| Company sick leave | If you're employed, your company sick leave credits must be used up first |
| Cause | The sickness or injury must be non-work-related (work-related cases go through Employees' Compensation instead) |
The 12-month contribution look-back is counted from your "semester of sickness" — the specific period SSS uses for your case. Check your posted contributions and specific look-back window through your My.SSS account before filing.
How much can you get? (Computation walkthrough)
Your daily sickness benefit is 90% of your Average Daily Salary Credit (ADSC). ADSC itself is calculated as: the sum of your 6 highest Monthly Salary Credits (MSCs) in the 12 months before your semester of sickness, divided by 180. The MSC used in this computation is capped at the regular program ceiling of ₱20,000 as of 2026.
Example 1 — member at the ₱20,000 MSC ceiling, confined 10 days:
| Step | Computation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sum of 6 highest MSCs | ₱20,000 × 6 | ₱120,000.00 |
| ADSC | ₱120,000.00 ÷ 180 | ₱666.67 |
| Daily sickness benefit (90% of ADSC) | ₱666.67 × 0.90 | ₱600.00 |
| Total benefit for 10 days confined | ₱600.00 × 10 | ₱6,000.00 |
Example 2 — member with a ₱10,000 average MSC, confined 15 days:
| Step | Computation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sum of 6 highest MSCs | ₱10,000 × 6 | ₱60,000.00 |
| ADSC | ₱60,000.00 ÷ 180 | ₱333.33 |
| Daily sickness benefit (90% of ADSC) | ₱333.33 × 0.90 | ₱300.00 |
| Total benefit for 15 days confined | ₱300.00 × 15 | ₱4,500.00 |
Your own number depends entirely on your 6 highest posted MSCs in the relevant 12-month window — pull your contribution record on My.SSS to run your own version of this table before you file.
How many days can you claim?
You can claim up to 120 compensable days per calendar year, and unused days do not carry over into the next year. For a single illness, the benefit can run up to 240 days; once you exceed that for one illness, the claim converts into a disability claim instead of a sickness benefit claim.
What are the deadlines?
Missing these deadlines can reduce or deny your claim entirely, so notify early.
| Situation | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Home confinement | Notify your employer within 5 days of the start of confinement |
| Hospital confinement | Your employer must submit the claim to SSS within 1 year from your date of discharge |
Late notification is the single most common reason a sickness benefit claim gets reduced or denied — file as soon as your confinement starts, not after you're discharged.
What documents do you need?
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Sickness Benefit Application | Filed through My.SSS |
| Medical Certificate | Issued and signed by a licensed physician, stating your diagnosis and the recommended number of days of confinement/rest |
| Supporting medical records | As applicable to your case |
How do you apply, step by step?
How you file depends on your membership type.
If you're employed:
- Exhaust your company sick leave credits first.
- Notify your employer of your confinement (within 5 days for home confinement).
- Submit your Medical Certificate and supporting records to your employer.
- Your employer files the Sickness Benefit Application on My.SSS and advances the payment to you directly.
- SSS later reimburses your employer for the amount advanced.
If you're self-employed, a voluntary member, an OFW, or separated from employment:
- Notify SSS directly of your confinement.
- Gather your Medical Certificate and supporting medical records.
- File the Sickness Benefit Application directly through My.SSS or the SSS mobile app — there's no employer to route the claim through.
What if your sickness or injury is work-related?
If your sickness or injury happened because of your job, you don't file for the regular sickness benefit — you file for SSS Employees' Compensation instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Magkano ang SSS sickness benefit?
It's 90% of your Average Daily Salary Credit (ADSC) per day of confinement. ADSC is your 6 highest Monthly Salary Credits in the 12 months before your semester of sickness, divided by 180. A member at the ₱20,000 MSC ceiling gets ₱600.00 a day; the exact amount depends on your own posted contributions.
What are the requirements for SSS sickness benefit?
At least 4 days of hospital or home confinement, at least 3 posted monthly contributions in the 12 months before your semester of sickness, proper notification to your employer or SSS, and (if employed) exhausted company sick leave. The sickness or injury must be non-work-related.
How do I file SSS sickness benefit?
Employed members have their employer file the application on My.SSS and advance the payment; SSS reimburses the employer afterward. Self-employed, voluntary, and OFW members file directly through My.SSS or the SSS mobile app, submitting a Medical Certificate and supporting records.
How many days can I claim SSS sickness benefit in a year?
Up to 120 compensable days per calendar year, with no carryover of unused days. For one continuous illness, the benefit can run up to 240 days before it converts into a disability claim.
What happens if I miss the notification deadline?
Late notice — past 5 days for home confinement, or past 1 year from discharge for hospital confinement — is the most common reason a claim gets reduced or denied. Notify your employer or SSS as soon as confinement begins.
Can self-employed or voluntary SSS members claim sickness benefit?
Yes. Self-employed, voluntary, OFW, and separated members file directly through My.SSS or the SSS mobile app, without going through an employer.
Is SSS sickness benefit the same as PhilHealth hospitalization coverage?
No. SSS sickness benefit is a cash allowance that replaces lost income during confinement. PhilHealth pays case rates directly toward your hospital bill. They're separate benefits that can both apply to the same hospitalization — see our PhilHealth hospitalization benefits guide for how that coverage works.
Can I claim SSS sickness benefit for a work-related injury?
No. Work-related sickness or injury is covered under SSS Employees' Compensation, not the regular sickness benefit.
Conclusion
The SSS sickness benefit won't pay your hospital directly, but the cash it replaces can help cover what PhilHealth, your HMO, and hospital charity discounts don't. For the full picture of what's available when a hospital bill outpaces what you can pay, start at the hospital bill assistance hub. If you're an OFW, check the OWWA medical assistance guide for a parallel benefit track. Need more cash on top of your sickness benefit? See medical loan options in the Philippines, including SSS's own salary and calamity loans. If a hospital is withholding your discharge over an unpaid balance while you wait on your claim, read about Zero Balance Billing and the anti-hospital-detention law. You can also search for accredited clinics and hospitals near you on ClinicFinderPH.