The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is expanding access to its Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) and Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (GAMOT) by increasing the number of accredited clinics and pharmacies in Western Visayas and Negros Occidental.

As of September, PhilHealth had accredited 265 YAKAP facilities and 235 GAMOT pharmacies in the area, said Janimhe Jalbuna, head of the agency’s Western Visayas public affairs unit.

YAKAP facilities include 29 in Aklan, 36 in Antique, 28 in Capiz, 12 in Guimaras, 88 in Iloilo and 72 in Negros Occidental.

For GAMOT, the agency has accredited 20 pharmacies in Aklan, 47 in Antique, 29 in Capiz, 11 in Guimaras, 71 in Iloilo and 57 in Negros Occidental.

“We have more accredited facilities and hopefully, before the year ends, we can accredit more GAMOT pharmacies and YAKAP clinics to make the benefits more accessible to our members,” Jalbuna said in a phone interview Tuesday.

She said there is no fixed ratio between the number of accredited facilities and patients, but Department of Health guidelines recommend one doctor for every 20,000 people. A facility’s capacity to serve patients depends partly on the number of doctors available, she added.

YAKAP facilities provide medical consultations, diagnostic services and cancer screening tests, as well as access to 21 medicines. GAMOT pharmacies offer 54 medicines covered by the program.

“Our GAMOT pharmacies signify which of the 54 drugs and medicines they can offer. That is why we remind our pharmacies to post the list of drugs and medicines that are available,” Jalbuna said.

YAKAP centers also guide patients to pharmacies where they can obtain their prescribed medicines, she added.

Jalbuna urged PhilHealth members and their dependents to register for YAKAP before the end of the year to access its benefits.

Services are free at accredited government facilities, while consultations at private providers require a PHP 900 co-payment, she said.

She also encouraged members who have already selected their YAKAP clinics to complete their initial patient encounter and outpatient consultations.

Members who wish to transfer to another YAKAP clinic may do so during the fourth quarter of 2026, with the change taking effect in January 2027, Jalbuna said. (PNA)