CLARK FREEPORT – Walk-in patients especially those persons who were diagnosed of heart ailment and wishes to avail of the latest technology in open heart surgery at the Medical City –Clark are welcome as long as they are covered by the Philippine Health Insurance (Philhealth) Z benefit package, TMC-Clark announced Friday.
“Heart ailment cases from Central Luzon and Northern Luzon may no longer travel to Manila to seek medical attention specifically on coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) as TMC –Clark is now accepting Philhealth Benefit Z package,” said Evelyn Luciano Yumul, TMC-Clark Sales and Marketing Director.
Yumul said TMC-Clark has a pool of competent cardiac specialists that attend to patients with problematic heart. She said that a total of 10 open heart surgery patients have treated successfully in this medical facility.
Just recently, Yumul said a sextagenarian woman from Bataan underwent through the knife of TMC-Clark Cardiac Team and she is now in the pink of health two months after the open heart surgery artery-to-artery bypass.
“I’m okay, I’m strong now. I just sleep and when I wake up…surgery is done,” said Violeta Bagtas Hernandez, who shared her testament to her audience during the press conference held at The Medical City- Clark.
Hernandez did not even remember of the “bloody” procedure she underwent for four to five hours at the operating room.
Yumul said the patient’s family only raised P150,000 as additional to P550,000 Philhealth coverage under the Z benefit package.
The Z Benefit package, Yumul said was designed to address catastrophic illnesses, an insurance that is only available to selected private and government hospitals across the country.
Z Benefit package includes treatment of breast and prostate cancer, acute hymphocytic leukemia, ventricular septal defect, tetralogy of fallot, coronary artery bypass graft, selected orthopaedic implants, etc.
Yumul said standard-risk outpatients are eligible for Z package as determined by the screening committee of the TMC-Clark Department of Cardiology and Theoracic Cardiovascular Surgeons who shall refer the patient to Philhealth for the requirements.
The requirements are as follows: The must patient must qualify under the inclusion criteria for CABG as assessed by the screening committee. Approved pre-admission assessment checklist, pre-authorization from and other Philhealth forms are necessary for approval of application for the Z Benefit package. Pre-authorization from Philhealth based on the agreed selection criteria, is required for approval.
Yumul said eligible patients can avail of fixed co-pay with a minimum of P100,000 that covers for the special services such as holistic care management especially for indigent. She said TMC-Clark Medical Social Worker can assist the patient family identify other sources of funding.