PhilHealth says it will cover 75 types of medicines with P20,000 yearly limit. Inquirer file photo.
MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos will soon have access to 75 types of medicines for free at select clinics and pharmacies, with a limit of P20,000 per year, under the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.’s new Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (Gamot) package.
Launched on Thursday, PhilHealth Gamot expands on the initial 21 free medicines under the Konsultasyong Sulit Tama or Konsulta benefits package with an additional 54, and will take effect on Aug. 21 based on PhilHealth Circular No. 2025-0013.
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These medicines include “common treatments” for a wide range of conditions, such as infections, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart conditions, nervous system disorders, and other supportive therapies.
The entire list of free medicines is included in the PhilHealth circular, which can be accessed through the link.
“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,” PhilHealth President and CEO Edwin Mercado said during the launch.
READ: PhilHealth to cover outpatient cancer screening tests
To avail of the new Gamot package, one must first register as a beneficiary of the PhilHealth’s Yaman ng Kalusugan Program para Malayo sa Sakit (Yakap) program, which can be done through the eGovPH app, PhilHealth member online portal, at PhilHealth offices, or through other channels.
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Beneficiaries must then get a prescription from a Yakap or PhilHealth-accredited physician before they can avail of the free medicines at any Gamot facility. One would only need to present any government-issued ID, alongside the doctor’s prescription, at the clinic.
According to Mercado, there are around 4,300 Gamot partner clinics where PhilHealth members may avail of the new benefit. For those in Metro Manila, they may also avail themselves of the new benefit in Gamot partner pharmacies.
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“As for the pharmacies, since we had just launched [the program], they are only located in Metro Manila for now. So, just give us some time, because every day we are able to add more,” Mercado told reporters after the event.
“With our launch today, we were able to show the system. Hopefully, our partners were able to pay attention [and see] that the system is safe and good. They feel protected and not abused. So, we think [the number of partners] will go higher,” he added. /mr
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