PhilHealth Makes Benefits for Hearing-Impaired Kids Available in Zamboanga

To make them capable of providing the program to children with hearing impairment, the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) urges hospitals in Zamboanga region to secure “Z Benefits” accreditation.

The announcement that the program was already available in the region was made on Wednesday by PhilHealth 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) Information Officer Bryan Jabay.

“The program is already in place, however, no (health) facility yet in the region has applied for accreditation so they can offer the Z Benefits for children with impaired hearing,” Jabay clarified.

The Z Benefits package aims to minimize the spending and ensure the provision of quality health care services among marginalized sectors that are enrolled in the program.

Hospitals that want to secure Z Benefits must have proper facilities, equipment, and specialists who can attend to the children with hearing conditions.

According to Jabay, children from 0 to 17 years old that were duly assessed by a specialist can avail the Z Benefits, which includes diagnostics, provision of hearing aids, hearing aid fitting, battery and ear mold, and speech therapy.

For children less than 3 years old at the time of approval of pre-authorization assessment and hearing aid provision, a total of PHP53,460 is paid by Philhealth for those with moderate hearing loss, and PHP67,100 for those with severe to profound hearing loss.

For children 6 to less than 18 years old at the time of approval of the pre-authorization assessment and hearing aid provision, a total of PHP43,880 is paid by Philhealth to those with moderate hearing loss.

The health insurance agency, on the other hand, pays PHP45,400 for children 3 to less than six years old with moderate hearing loss and PHP54,100 for those with severe to profound hearing loss.

Speech therapy assessment and sessions for moderate hearing loss is PHP22,100, and PHP63,420 for severe to profound hearing loss.