Bacolod: The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is reaching more Negrenses to access the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) primary care services through registration caravans. PhilHealth-Bacolod information officer Christine Mirano announced that more registration caravans are scheduled in this highly urbanized city as well as in other local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental on all weekends this September.
According to Philippines News Agency, these initiatives are part of an ongoing effort by PhilHealth to enhance healthcare access across the region. "We have been conducting YAKAP caravans since July. We conducted a four-day registration caravan in Moises Padilla on the last week of August," Mirano stated. From August 25 to 28, at least 2,139 PhilHealth members and dependents in Moises Padilla were successfully assigned to their preferred YAKAP provider, facilitating their access to quality and comprehensive primary healthcare services.
The Moises Padilla Primary Care Facility played a crucial role by providing initial patient encounter services, enabling members to avail of YAKAP primary care services. As of July 31, data from PhilHealth-Western Visayas revealed that only 293,506 PhilHealth members and dependents in Negros Occidental are registered to YAKAP clinics, which is merely 9.04 percent of the 3.25-million projected population.
Through these registration caravans, PhilHealth not only assists members in their YAKAP assignment but also strengthens partnerships with LGUs to bring essential health services closer to members, especially those residing in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. The YAKAP primary care benefit includes consultations, laboratory and diagnostic tests, and 75 essential medicines under the GAMOT (Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment) initiative.
Currently, PhilHealth has accredited 62 YAKAP clinics and 45 GAMOT pharmacies in Negros Occidental. Additionally, members can access cancer screening services at several hospitals including Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital, Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital, Kabankalan City Hospital, and Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital.
