Patients in Davao del Norte who need major orthopedic surgeries will soon have better access to specialized treatment at lower costs, as the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) introduced the Z Benefits for Selected Orthopedic Implants in Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC) on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
In a press briefing, PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Dr. Edwin Mercado said the program was created because orthopedic cases rank among the 10 most common diseases in the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur coverage focuses on bone trauma, but we will also include total joint replacement. With the aging population, many Filipinos need knee and hip replacement,\u201d Mercado said.<\/p>\n
The Z Benefit package covers orthopedic surgeries with implants, such as hip replacements and fracture fixations.<\/p>\n
It aims to restore mobility, enhance quality of life, and reduce financial burden for patients with severe bone injuries or joint issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are prioritizing these diseases because the outcomes are very good and truly improve patients\u2019 quality of life,\u201d Mercado said.<\/p>\n
To avail of the package, the patient must be a qualified member or dependent, visit a PhilHealth-contracted hospital, and undergo screening.<\/p>\n
The hospital will submit the necessary pre-authorization documents, which often include a clinical pathway manual.<\/p>\n
Coverage is offered through fixed case rates that cover the cost of implants, hospital charges, and professional fees.<\/p>\n
Depending on the procedure, the package ranges from around PHP100,000 to PHP260,000.<\/p>\n
By covering implants, the program significantly cuts out-of-pocket costs for eligible PhilHealth members at contracted facilities like DRMC.<\/p>\n
DRMC chief Dr. Bryan Dalid said that although the hospital has been performing orthopedic procedures, PhilHealth\u2019s accreditation now guarantees that patients no longer have to cover the costs.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore, patients had to seek help from funding agencies to pay for their operations. Now, they simply wait for their surgery while admitted,\u201d Dalid said.<\/p>\n
In 2025, DRMC performed 18 hip surgeries and two knee replacements.<\/p>\n
Implementation of the program involves coordination among PhilHealth, the Department of Health, DRMC, and professional medical societies, including the Philippine Orthopedic Association and the Philippine Hip and Knee Society.<\/p>\n
Before DRMC\u2019s accreditation, only two facilities in Region 11 \u2014 Southern Philippines Medical Center and Tebow Cure Philippines Inc. \u2014 were contracted to provide the benefit. (PNA)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The initiative focuses on making healthcare more affordable and accessible in the region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":263913,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19579],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-263912","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health"],"zyndk8_nxtgen_metadata":{"nxtgen_comments":[{"7809":"health system \ud83c\udfe5\r","7810":"malaking tulng sa pasyente \ud83c\udfe5\r"}]},"yoast_head":"\n