Did you know you can get P20k worth of meds as well as free consults and lab tests through PhilHealth YAKAP? Here's how

Make sure to maximize your PhilHealth benefits.

Did you know that each registered PhilHealth member is entitled to free consultations, lab tests and cancer screenings, and P20,000 worth of medicines every year? 

You can avail of this benefit with the health agency's YAKAP (Yaman ng Kalusugan Program) initiative, the Department of Health reminded PhilHealth members in a Facebook video shared on Wednesday, May 20.

How to claim

Availing of the benefits is simple. 

First, enroll in your chosen accredited YAKAP clinic using your registered PhilHealth number. You can enroll at any of the following: the eGovPH app, the PhilHealth member portal, any PhilHealth office, or at the PhilHealth YAKAP facility itself.

Next, go through a medical assessment conducted by PhilHealth personnel. This is the program's First Patient Encounter. 

The assessment will determine which lab tests, screening, and/or medication you need. If you require medicines, a general practitioner will prescribe drugs from the PhilHealth GAMOT (Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment) list, which covers 75 essential medicines for various conditions. Accredited GAMOT facilities, i.e., accredited pharmacies, will provide the medicines for free as long as you present a prescription and if there is enough stock. 

You may also be referred to a specialist who practices in your chosen YAKAP clinic. 

For patients enrolled in a public PhilHealth YAKAP clinic, all these offerings are free. Private YAKAP-accredited clinics have the right to charge patients up to P900 per year, which covers all the consultations and health services offered by PhilHealth YAKAP. 

Regardless of where you get your consultations and lab tests, PhilHealth YAKAP also provides the following for free: 

• Access to 13 common lab tests, including CBC, blood sugar, and creatinine
• Access to 75 maintenance and preventive medicines at GAMOT facilities worth P20,000 per year
• Coverage of six cancer-screening tests: colonoscopy, mammography, liver ultrasound, breast ultrasound, Alpha-Fetoprotein, and pap smear. These will only be prescribed if the doctor sees medical evidence that these are necessary. For instance, a patient who smokes more than 30 packs of cigarettes a year will automatically be ordered to get a chest CT scan. 

PhilHealth YAKAP was introduced in July 2025.

Since its launch, the program has shown immense promise by saving patients thousands of pesos in medical expenses. However, some Filipinos have described it as a "hit or miss" experience due to some challenges like long wait times, limited clinic hours, registration app glitches, and supply shortages that leave accredited pharmacies out of essential medicines. 

In an interview with DZMM, Dr. Edwin Mercado, president and CEO of PhilHealth, said they're considering adding specialists next year to the team of general practitioners currently conducting check-ups in the YAKAP clinics.