THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation recently joined Heartlings, the first boot camp for children with heart disease organized by the Philippine Heart Center (PHC).

More than 60 children, aged six (6) months to 12 years old and have undergone open heart surgery or interventional procedures and their families from different parts of the country attended the one-day activity.

According to Dr. Jhuliet Balderas, pediatric cardiologist and one of the founders of Heartlings, they organized the event not just to celebrate the milestones in the children’s life but to show them that they can still live a normal life after the surgery. They also want the event to serve as a foundation for fellowship and support group to the families. “We would like to enlighten the parents and their children that after the operation they can live a normal life, and can do what a normal child does. They can go to school, be active in sports and be part of the community. It is like telling them not to be afraid to dream,” said Balderas. “For us doctors, it is like a completion of duty. We can feel the significance of what we are doing,” she added.

Children enjoyed the yoga, games, art and music activities while the parents attended the lecture program. On the other hand, PhilHealth staff members answered queries and distributed information materials to the parent participants.

"Lumuwas kami galing Nabua, Camarines Sur para dumalo dahil malaking tulong ito sa amin at kay Rodenvert. Pasasalamat din ito sa mga doktor at nars sa Heart Center at sa PhilHealth na sumuporta sa amin noong naoperahan ang anak ko," said Catherine Lacson, whose husband is a PhilHealth member under the Indigent Program. “Malaki ang pasasalamat namin sa Z Package ng PhilHealth dahil wala talaga kaming binayaran, as in zero talaga,” she tearfully exclaimed. Her son, Rodenvert was diagnosed of Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) and was operated on in January 2015 at the PHC. He qualified for the PhilHealth Z Package for VSD and was entitled to the No Balance Billing Policy.

The PhilHealth Z Packages cover the following heart surgeries for children: VSD worth P250,000.00 and Tetralogy of Fallot worth P320,000.00 and can be availed of at the PHC and Southern Philippines Medical Center.

All eligible members and their dependents are qualified to avail themselves of these packages provided that they pass the selections criteria set by PhilHealth.

Eligible Sponsored and Indigent members, Kasambahay and IGroup Gold members and their dependents may also avail themselves of the No Balance Billing policy when availing of the Z Benefits for VSD and TOF in PhilHealth’s contracted hospitals. On the other hand, a fixed co-pay which shall not exceed the package rate shall be applied to formal, informal, overseas Filipino workers and lifetime members, should they need to avail themselves of the package. (END) (Pinky G. Aragones)