Ortho package now part of PhilHealth's 'Z benefits' for Cebu earthquake victims

The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday announced that orthopedic benefits will now be part of  PhilHealth's 'Z benefits package' for victims of the devastating Cebu earthquake.

"'Yung sa orthopedic Z benefit package kaya importante 'yan dun sa gawi ng PhilHealth, kasi kunwari nabalian ang isang tao dahil nga dun sa lindol... Ang karaniwang ginagawa po ng mga orthopedic surgeons, naglalagay po ng mga tinatawag na implants. 'Yan po ay mga bakal na kung tawagin nga po. Mahal po yan kaya nahihirapan ang ating mga kababayan," said DOH Spokesperson Asec. Albert Domingo in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB. 

(The orthopedic Z benefit is important. Let's say someone was injured and had broken bones because of the earthquake... What orthopedic surgeons usually do is insert implants. Those are steel pieces. They're quite expensive.)

"Ang magiging resulta niyan ay "zero balance billing"... So, wala na siyang gagastusin," added Domingo. 

(This will result in "zero balance billing"... So, they no longer have to spend anything.)

READ: how you can use PhilHealth's Z Benefits package

The DOH made the announcement after further evaluation of the aftermath of the Cebu earthquake which left at least 68 people dead and nearly 600 people injured. 

Domingo said that some of those injured are in need of orthopedic procedures, as they were hurt after a structure collapsed. 

"Karamihan ng kaso mga orthopedic, mga nabalian ng buto kasi nabagsakan ng mga konkreto at kung anu-ano pa," explained the DOH official.

(Most have orthopedic cases or those with broken bones from falling concrete and other things.)

Domingo added that the DOH and PhilHealth have already coordinated with all hospitals in Cebu about the development. 

He added that they will also issue provisional accreditation for private hospitals so patients can avail the benefit. 

"Yung ating orthopedic Z packages, yun po ay ibibigay kahit sa mga ospital na private kahit hindi pa accredited. Basta ang kondisyunes ay siya ay nagkaron ng sugat or pagkabali ng buto dahil dun sa ating lindol. Kasama din po yan yung aftershocks," explained Domingo. 

(The orthopedic Z package will be given even to private hospitals even if they are not yet accredited, as long as the condition is that he/she has a wound or broken bone because of our earthquake. That also includes the aftershocks.)

He also said that the new benefit is retroactive and those already discharged can still avail themselves of it. 

"Retroactive to the time of the incident kailan nag-lindol, kahit po kayo ay nadischarge at ngayon lang nag approve, wag kayong magalala sasaklawan yung bill ninyo," he said. 

(It's retroactive to the time of the incident when the earthquake occurred. Even if you were already discharged and this just got approved, don't worry, your bill will be covered.)

Meanwhile, Domingo added that Cebu DOH remains on Blue Alert as aftershocks continue in the province and there are still several residents in need of medical attention. 

"Naka-code blue po yan. 'Yung code blue po mas mataas na antas na pagaalerto sa code white. Every 24 hours nagrereport, nag-aassess kung ilan yung nadeploy," he explained. 

(It's code blue. Code blue is a higher level of alert than code white. Every 24 hours, they report, assessing how many have been deployed.)

So far, the DOH has already deployed a total of 163 medical personnel in response to the Cebu earthquake, according to Domingo. —VAL, GMA Integrated News