PhilHealth opens benefit package for children with disabilities

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is opening a new Z-Benefit package for Children with Developmental Disabilities.

Lawyer Karisma Agraviador, public relations officer of PhilHealth-7, said the Z-Benefit package is intended for children diagnosed with developmental disabilities like autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, cerebral palsy and global development delay, which are the leading causes of disability in the country.

Agraviador said that PhilHealth is starting to roll out the package on Monday.

Based on a study, around 1.6 million cases of developmental disability occur among Filipino children less than 19 years of age.

Services under the Z-Benefit package are assessment and plan by medical and allied health professionals, rehabilitation therapy sessions, discharge assessment and plan by medical and allied health professionals.

Package rates for assessment of children, rehabilitation and therapy and discharge assessment range from more than P3,000 to P5,000.

Meanwhile, Agraviador is also reminding PhilHealth members that starting October this year, PhilHealth will be implementing new guidelines for patients who may avail their health insurance program.

“As of now, patients who have contributions for at least three months in the last six months may avail the health insurance of PhilHealth. But starting October 2018, we’ve increased this to at least six months, in the last 12 months,” Agraviador said.

She revealed that currently, PhilHealth has more than seven million active members in the Central Visayas, with annual collection of more than P3 billion in 2017.

In seven million active members, over two million of them are indigents and were enrolled as sponsored members. Senior Citizens are also considered as automatic members of PhilHealth.

“As long as they are considered poor, especially those who are members of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and were identified through point of care program in the different local government units (LGUs),” she said.

PhilHealth also marked their 23rd anniversary yesterday, February 14.

Agraviador said the anniversary celebration kicked off with a Holy Mass.

PhilHealth will also hold an orientation for its staff on bloodletting activity on February 19.

PhilHealth personnel will also visit the different public hospitals in the region and distribute giveaways to patients.

It will also distribute education materials to the chosen school under its adopt-a-school program.