PhilHealth today launches a Z Benefit Package for children with developmental disabilities to ensure financial risk protection for all Filipinos including persons with disabilities.
Developmental disability refers to the manifestation of delays, regressions or deviations in the cognitive-adaptive, sensorimotor, communication, social, emotional or behavioral developmental domains of a child. This condition begins during the developmental period of the child that is why timing is important in potentially mitigating the impact of such disability.
“We are introducing this Z benefit package which is an improved, rationalized and relevant benefit for children with disabilities mainly to prevent the catastrophic spending of the poor and marginalized who are enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) while ensuring quality healthcare services,” said Dr. Celestina Ma. Jude P. de la Serna, Interim/OIC, PhilHealth President and CEO.
PhilHealth Circular No. 2017-0029 which was published last February 12, 2018 in the Manila Times, specifies the services that will be provided for under the Z Benefit Package for children with developmental disabilities. Among these services are the assessment and planning by a Medical Specialist and by allied health professionals such as Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapists using applicable standardized tests including rehabilitation therapy.
The benefit package amounts range from P3,626.00 to P5,276.00.
Initially, tertiary government health care institutions (HCIs) shall be engaged to provide these sets of services to children with developmental disabilities. Other capable government and private HCIs will eventually be contracted to expand the benefit utilization. “We are calling on our accredited HCIs that are capable of providing these mandatory services to children with disabilities to be our contracted facilities so that we can extend this package to as many children in need as possible,” de la Serna said.
The implementation of the benefit package by contracted HCIs shall be monitored according to existing performance assessment systems. (END) (By Nadine B. Navarro)
(Reference: Dr. Israel Francis A. Pargas, Head Executive Assistant and Concurrent OIC-Vice President for Corporate Affairs Group, Cel No. 0917-8089399)
