CEBU. Victims of the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck on the evening of September 30, 2025, continue to arrive at Cebu Provincial Hospital in Bogo City as of October 1, overwhelming medical staff as the number of injured rises.Photo by Juan Carlo de Vela

PhilHealth expands Z Benefit Package for quake victims

Published on:

Oct 08, 2025, 9:48 am

THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has expanded access to its Z Benefit Package for orthopedic implants, in line with a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu on September 30, 2025.

The move is aimed at providing life-saving surgical care at zero co-pay for earthquake victims who suffered severe orthopedic injuries.

The Z Benefit Package now fully covers the cost of implants and procedures for hip arthroplasty, hip fixation, pertrochanteric fractures, femoral and tibial shaft fractures, total knee replacements, and upper extremity surgeries.

PhilHealth Acting President and CEO Edwin Mercado, an orthopedic surgeon himself, led the immediate approval of special policy relaxations to ensure that patients receive urgent medical attention without financial burden.

In response to Dr. Mercado’s call to action, the Philippine Orthopaedic Association (POA), its Cebu Chapter, and the Private Hospital Association of the Philippines (PHAPi) pledged full support to deliver surgical and hospital care to affected individuals.

To institutionalize this emergency response, PhilHealth issued Circular 2025-0016 on October 7. Titled “Granting of Provisional Contracting for Z Benefits for Selected Orthopedic Implants and Other Special Privileges to Healthcare Facilities, Healthcare Professionals, and PhilHealth Members Affected by the September 30, 2025 Cebu Earthquake,” the circular introduces several emergency measures.

The circular grants provisional accreditation to more hospitals in Cebu, allows accredited doctors to operate even outside their affiliated health facilities, and extends the filing period for patient claims to 120 days, with retroactive coverage for those affected by the earthquake.

First introduced in 2014, PhilHealth’s Z Benefit Package for orthopedic implants was designed to shield members from the high costs of surgeries requiring specialized implants. (CAV/PR)