PhilHealth implements one-time interest waiver to help employers and members settle contributions

by Info @Brand Zone | January 9, 2026

PR No. 2026-01 - January 6, 2026

PhilHealth welcomes the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to implement a one-time waiver program for incurred interests from missed premium payments. This is a concrete measure to help employers, self-employed individuals, and other covered members settle long standing contribution obligations and restore good standing with the National Health Insurance Program. 

The waiver policy underscores the administration's commitment to fairness, economic recovery, and sustained access to healthcare by addressing the accumulated burden of interest arising from missed premium payments. 

To provide clarity, the one-time waiver applies strictly to interest charges, and does not cover unpaid premium contributions. The policy is designed to assist employers and self-employed individuals whose arrears have ballooned primarily because of compounded interest, while ensuring continuous delivery of benefits of employees and members of PhilHealth.  

To further ease the financial burden on covered entities, PhilHealth is providing a one-year settlement window from the effectivity of the Circular, during which outstanding premium contributions may be paid. Employers who settle earlier within the prescribed period may qualify for greater reductions in interest, including partial or full waiver, depending on the length of the payment term. 

For the employed sector, the guidelines for availing waiver will be published soon. Meanwhile, the detailed implementing mechanics for the self-employed sector are being finalized and will be issued separately to ensure proper guidance and orderly implementation. 

As part of the program safeguards, employers availing of the one-time waiver are required to register their employees under the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) and ensure completion of the First Patient Encounter (FPE), in line with PhilHealth policy. This requirement reinforces the intent of the waiver—not only to recover missed contributions, but also to connect workers and their families to accessible primary care services.

PhilHealth encourages all eligible employers and members to take advantage of this limited, one-time opportunity, and advises the public to await official announcements for further details on implementation timelines and payment arrangement options, particularly for the self-employed sector. 

For more information, employers may contact PhilHealth’s 24/7 hotline at (02) 866-225-88 or at mobile numbers (Smart) 0998-857-2957, 0968-865-4670, (Globe) 0917-1275987 or 0917-1109812.

PAALALA: Deadline sa paglipat ng PhilHealth YAKAP Clinic hanggang Disyembre 26 sa mga tanggapan ng PhilHealth

by Info @Brand Zone | December 23, 2025

PR No. 2025-45

Pinaaalalahanan ng Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) ang lahat ng miyembro na  nais lumipat ng kanilang PhilHealth YAKAP Clinic ay maaaring magtungo sa mga PhilHealth Local Health Insurance Office hanggang sa Biyernes, ika-26 ng Disyembre. Ito ay upang matiyak na tuloy tuloy ang pagtanggap ng mga benepisyo sa ilalim ng PhilHealth YAKAP Program. 

Para lumipat sa ibang YAKAP Clinic, mayroon man o walang naganap na First Patient Encounter (FPE), kailangang pumunta ang miyembro o ang kanilang dependent sa pinakamalapit na LHIO upang  magsumite ng nasagutang Primary Care Selection Form (PCSF). Sasailalim din ang mga miyembro sa  beripikasyon gamit ang PhilHealth Check Utility (PCU). Ipapaalam ng PhilHealth sa pamamagitan ng email ang detalye ng paglipat, na magiging epektibo sa oras na maaprubahan ito simula Enero 1, 2026. 

Tatanggap din ang PhilHealth Action Center (02) 866-225-88 ng mga request para sa paglilipat  hanggang Disyembre 31, 2025. 

Pinapayagan din ng PhilHealth ang paglipat sa pamamagitan ng kinatawan, basta’t may dalang  authorization letter, isang valid na government-issued ID (o katumbas na dokumento), at kumpletong  PhilHealth Member Registration Form (PMRF) o PhilHealth Claim Form (PCF), kung kinakailangan. 

Ipinapaalala ng PhilHealth sa mga miyembro na ang mga hindi pa nakakapag-FPE ay maaaring humiling  na lumipat ng provider anumang oras. Kapag naaprubahan, magkakabisa agad ang mga paglilipat na  ito. Para sa mga nakagamit na ng FPE, maaari lamang mag-request ng paglipat tuwing ika-apat na  quarter ng taon (Oktubre hanggang Disyembre). 

Maaaring tingnan ng mga miyembro ang listahan ng mga YAKAP Clinic sa www.philhealth.gov.ph  upang makapili ng malapit na pasilidad sa kanilang lokasyon para gabayan sa kanilang pagpili. Regular  na ina-update ang listahan para sa mga bagong accredited na YAKAP Clinic at contact details.  

Ayon kay PhilHealth President at CEO, Dr. Edwin M. Mercado, “Ito ang direktiba ng Pangulong  Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. - na magamit at mailapit ang primary care benefits sa lahat ng Filipino. Ang  bawat miyembro ay may kalayaang pumili ng YAKAP Clinic upang mas madaling magamit ang  benepisyo ng PhilHealth YAKAP. Maaaring ito ay malapit sa kanilang tahanan o trabaho para  masiguro ang kaayusan at kalusugan ng buong pamilya”, wika niya. 

Nag-aalok ang PhilHealth YAKAP ng mga libreng serbisyong pangkalusugan gaya ng regular na checkup, mga laboratory test, cancer screening at mga gamot sa ilalim ng PhilHealth GAMOT (Guaranteed Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment).

Para sa karagdagang katanungan tungkol sa mga benepisyo at serbisyo, maaaring tumawag ang mga  miyembro sa PhilHealth’s 24/7 Hotline sa (02) 866-225-88. Maaari rin makipag-ugnayan sa mga mobile numbers (Smart) 0998-857-2957, 0968-865-4670, (Globe) 0917-127-5987, 0917-110-9812.

#Rise30 #SamasamangPagangatsaBagongPilipinas #naYAKAPnako #MalayoSaSakit #PhilHealthYAKAP

PhilHealth scales up HIV/AIDS coverage, guarantees privacy and wider support

by Info @Brand Zone | December 1, 2025

PhilHealth PR 2025-43

In commemoration of the World Aids Day with the theme “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response", the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) stands with the persons living with HIV (PLHIV) through its enhanced Outpatient HIV/AIDS Treatment (OHAT) Package which provides wider financial support to essential care. Through the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program or YAKAP, PhilHealth also raises awareness and early prevention efforts, assuring every member that all services are delivered with utmost confidentiality. 

This aligns with the Department of Health’s proposal for a declaration of a national public health emergency in the country due to a growing health concern stemming from rising human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases. On November 27, 2025, the Department of Health (DOH) reported over 5,500 new cases from July to September 2025. 

In response, Dr. Edwin M. Mercado, PhilHealth Acting President and CEO emphasized “Wala po kayong dapat ipag-alala, narito po ang PhilHealth upang tugunan ang inyong pangangailangang medikal. Kaya huwag po kayong matakot o mahiyang magpagamot. Makakaasa kayo na po-protektahan namin ang inyong mga personal na impormasyon.” 

The enhanced OHAT Package now offers an annual benefit of P58,500, a 95% increase from the previous P30,000. This benefit covers antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all individuals with confirmed HIV test results from certified facilities, regardless of their clinical or immunologic status. It also includes access to all necessary services required for effective HIV management. 

This enhancement is consistent with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s directive to continually improve and sustain the health insurer’s healthcare benefits by ensuring adequate financial support to patients seeking medical treatment. In his second State of the Nation Address, the President highlighted that 'The whole of society must exert efforts to suppress the alarming rise of HIV/AIDS. To stem the tide, the strategic plan is to ensure early diagnosis and treatment, and ample testing sites and medications. 

The OHAT Package can be accessed through 234 PhilHealth-accredited and DOH-designated HIV treatment hubs across the country. In 2024, PhilHealth disbursed a total of P1.66 billion for 176,819 OHAT benefit claims.

“Nakakabahala ang mga balita na pabata ng pabata ang mga PLHIV kung kaya’t nananawagan kami sa mga magulang ng mga kabataan, suportahan at iparamdam natin sa kanila na hindi sila nag-iisa at may kinabukasang naghihintay sa kanila sa pamamagitan ng early prevention at regular na pangangalaga sa ilalim ng ating mga YAKAP Clinics,” Dr. Mercado stated. 

For further inquiries on benefits and services, members may call PhilHealth’s 24/7 hotline at (02) 866-225-88 or at mobile numbers (Smart) 0998-857-2957, 0968-865-4670, (Globe) 0917-1275987 or 0917-1109812.

#Rise30 

#SamasamangPagangatParaSaBagongPilipinas