The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is giving members nationwide access to up to ₱20,000 worth of free outpatient medicines each year through its Yaman ng Kalusugan (YAKAP) program, though members must first enroll with an accredited YAKAP clinic before they can claim the benefit.
The medicine component, called GAMOT (Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment), covers 75 essential drugs for common acute and chronic conditions. Each PhilHealth member and every declared legal dependent can receive up to ₱20,000 worth of covered medicines per year, dispensed through more than 2,000 accredited pharmacies nationwide.
YAKAP itself functions as PhilHealth’s primary care package. It includes:
- Medical consultations and health risk assessments
- Selected laboratory and diagnostic tests
- Preventive and cancer screening services
- Health education and counseling
- Access to the GAMOT medicine benefit
The ₱20,000 allocation is not a cash-out benefit. Members need a prescription from an accredited YAKAP physician and must return for follow-up consultations so doctors can track their condition and adjust treatment as needed.
To avail of GAMOT, PhilHealth outlines five steps:
- Register with an accredited YAKAP clinic.
- Undergo an initial consultation, where a YAKAP physician assesses the member’s health condition.
- Receive a prescription for medicines covered under GAMOT.
- Present the prescription and valid identification at an accredited GAMOT dispensing facility.
- Return for follow-up consultations to monitor the condition.
Covered conditions include hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, infections, selected cardiovascular and neurologic diseases, and asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
PhilHealth data show the program’s reach has expanded significantly since its rollout. As of this year, YAKAP has reached 33.2 million Filipinos through 4,287 accredited clinics nationwide, which PhilHealth described as a 457-fold increase in primary care support compared to 2021 payouts. On the medicine side, more than 300,000 Filipinos have benefited from GAMOT since January, and more than 2,000 medicines have also been exempted from value-added tax to help lower costs further.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that PhilHealth will expand the preventive health program next year to gradually include blood tests and medicines for detecting and monitoring kidney, liver, and thyroid conditions, as well as hepatitis B. He also said the government hopes more clinics will be accredited under YAKAP so Filipinos have more options for care.
Members who have not yet enrolled may register through a YAKAP clinic directly or through digital channels. Check out the list of accredited YAKAP clinics with available GAMOT prescriptions.
Those unable to attend on-site registration may select their YAKAP clinic through the eGovPH mobile app or the PhilHealth Member Portal. PhilHealth has said it will continue accrediting additional clinics and providers as part of the program’s nationwide rollout.
