LEGAZPI City — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) formalized its commitment to expand access to critical health services through the signing of the Z Benefit Package Contract on Friday, September 5 at Marison Hotel in Legazpi City, Albay.
The contract signing gathered division supervisors and staff of the Bicol Regional Hospital and Medical Center (BRHMC) from both clinical and non-clinical units, and Multi-Sector Governance Council (MSGC) partners.
The initiative is designed for diseases and medical conditions considered “catastrophic”, meaning they are life-threatening, prolonged, and expensive to treat.
The Z Benefit Package aims to prevent “out-of-pocket” payments for poor and vulnerable members, ensuring that patients with high-cost illnesses can still access treatment in accredited hospitals. The coverage is also linked to clinical practice guidelines to ensure equity and appropriate medical care.
In an interview, Dr. Eric Raymond N. Raborar, Medical Center Chief of BRHMC, explained the impact of the program.
“Yung mga sakit na nabanggit ko, kasama na sa package na iyon. Ibig sabihin, tuloy-tuloy ang serbisyo dahil mababalik ng PhilHealth sa ospital ang nagastos. Pero inuulit ko, gastos ng ospital ang babayaran ng PhilHealth, hindi ito kukunin sa pasyente. Wala silang ilalabas na pera,” says Dr. Raborar.
The ceremony also included the presentation of reports on past packages, as well as testimonials from patients with heart disease and breast cancer.
Marissa Israel, mother of Kury Llander Banton—a patient who survived Tetralogy of Fallot—said the Z Benefit Package was a huge help to their family.
“Nung dumating po yung bill namin ay zero balance. Nasa Php800,000 po yung bill pero hindi na kami pinabayad,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mary Jane Ostria Loisa, a breast cancer survivor from Daraga, Albay, also shared her testimony, saying the program had been a lifeline.
“Nadugtungan ang buhay naming mga may cancer,” she said.
The “Z” in Z Benefit represents the last letter of the alphabet, symbolizing the most expensive and serious illnesses covered by PhilHealth—from A to Z, with Z being the costliest.| Michael Josh Toledo and Jay-r Nabor
