PhilHealth Introduces

Z Benefit Package
for Children with
Developmental
Disabilities
By Nadine B. Navarro

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

Reference:
Dr. Israel Francis A. Pargas, Head Executive Assistant and Concurrent OIC-Vice President, Corporate Affairs Group | Mobile No: 0917-8089399