The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is set to accredit more providers, including pharmacies and cancer screening laboratories, in Western Visayas as part of its expansion of primary care services under the YAKAP (Yaman ng Kalusugan Para Malayo sa Sakit) program.
Janimhe Jalbuna, head of the public affairs unit of PhilHealth in Western Visayas, explained in an interview on Tuesday that the YAKAP program is an expanded version of their primary benefit package, building on the previous Konsulta (Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama) program, which covered consultations, medicines, and laboratory services.
As of June 15, PhilHealth Western Visayas (PhilHealth-6) has accredited 197 providers across the region, including 23 in Aklan, 23 in Capiz, 29 in Antique, 11 in Guimaras, 48 in Iloilo province, 16 in Iloilo City, and 47 in Negros Occidental. “Our Konsulta providers automatically will be our YAKAP providers. We have the same mechanisms to avail,” Jalbuna added.
PhilHealth-6 has registered over 2.6 million members and their dependents for the Konsulta program as of June 20. Under the YAKAP initiative, free checkups, counseling, and referrals will continue, with the program now offering 75 drugs and medicines, an increase from 21 in the previous program. “Each member and dependent are allotted PHP 20,000, the maximum coverage for outpatient drugs every year,” she noted.
The number of laboratory and cancer tests included in the package has also increased from 13 to 19, now covering screenings for breast, lung, liver, and colorectal cancer. Jalbuna mentioned that they are also working on accrediting pharmacies for the Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (GAMOT).
The GAMOT application, a web-based tool for physicians and facilities to manage prescriptions and monitor dispensing, is set to take effect on August 21, while cancer screening services are expected to be available later this month.