Filipinos can now get 75 types of medicines for free under the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s (PhilHealth) new Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (GAMOT) package, starting August 21. The program, which offers up to ?20,000 worth of medicines per member per year, is part of PhilHealth’s Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) initiative.
PhilHealth President and CEO Edwin Mercado explained that the program addresses one of the biggest out-of-pocket expenses for Filipinos—buying medicines and medical supplies after leaving the hospital.
“Based on our data, one of the biggest out-of-pocket spending of our countrymen is what we call medical goods. The medicines and items that we pay for outside the hospital. That’s why we see that this is the first thing we should address,” he said.
From 21 to 75 Covered Medicines
The new GAMOT package builds on the Konsultasyong Sulit Tama (Konsulta) benefits, which previously covered only 21 free medicines. With 54 more added, members can now access treatments for a wide range of conditions, including infections, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart diseases, and nervous system disorders, along with other supportive therapies.
Members must first register for the YAKAP program, get a prescription from a PhilHealth-accredited doctor, and present it along with a valid government-issued ID at any GAMOT facility. The complete list of covered medicines is available in PhilHealth Circular 2025-0013.
Clinics and Pharmacies Nationwide
PhilHealth has partnered with 4,300 clinics nationwide to dispense the free medicines. In Metro Manila, members can also avail of them through selected GAMOT partner pharmacies, with expansion to other regions planned in the coming months.
Registration can be done via the eGovPH app, PhilHealth’s online portal, any PhilHealth office, or other official registration channels. Mercado assured the public that more partner facilities will be added soon to make the program more accessible.
