AS THE country celebrated the National Women’s Month, female members and dependents continued to take the center stage of PhilHealth’s programs and benefits.
“PhilHealth offers benefits especially designed for our women members and dependents because most women are caretakers of our community. Women play an indispensable role in our society,” said PhilHealth-6 Regional Vice President Janet Monteverde.
She outlined that PhilHealth pays for women’s maternity packages, gynecological conditions to cancer treatment.
Nelma Tabuga, a caregiver and a breast cancer patient, has recently availed of PhilHealth’s Z-benefit for breast cancer.
“Okay gid ang serbisyo, biskan piso wala gid ko may ginbayaran. Gin-cover gid sang PhilHealth (The service is very good, and I haven’t paid anything. It was all covered by PhilHealth),” said Tabuga.
PhilHealth’s Z-benefit package for breast cancer (stages I to III) is at P100,000 which can be availed at contracted hospitals like Western Visayas Medical Center and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.
“Sa katulad ko nga may breast cancer, ukon diin man da nga may parte sang lawas nga may cancer, indi gid kamo magduwa-duwa nga magkadto sa hospital kay wala man ta di gastuhon tungod kay pigado kita. Ara man ang PhilHealth para mag-cover sang aton bulong. Indi makulbaan kay wala ka gastuhon, kay PhilHealth ang ma-cover (To those who have cancer, do not hesitate to seek medical attention. PhilHealth is there to cover your expenses),” Tabuga added.
In 2022, PhilHealth Regional Office VI has paid 17,289 claims amounting to almost P100 million for women medical cases on breast and gynecological diseases.
As of February 2023, 3,143 claims have been paid amounting to more than P16 million – a 16 percent increase from last year’s paid claims.
Other benefits for women include caesarian section at P19,000; Maternity Care Package (MCP) at P6,500 when availed in accredited hospitals; MCP availed in birthing homes, maternity clinics, infirmaries or dispensaries (P8,000); normal spontaneous delivery in hospitals (P5,000) and in birthing and lying-in clinics (P6,500); dilation and cutterage (P11,000); hysterectomy (P30,000); mastectomy (P22,000); Z-benefits for cervical cancer with chemoradiation and brachytheraphy low dose (P120,000); and cervical cancer high dose (P175,000).
Meanwhile, PhilHealth is reminding minor mothers who are about to give birth to register as a primary member to enjoy a hassle-free availment of PhilHealth benefit for their delivery./PN
