PhilHealth allocates P20,000 per member for free meds access

EVERY member of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has now been allocated P20,000 worth of free essential medicines that they would need as determined by their primary care doctors.

During its launch in Quezon City on Thursday, August 14, 2025, PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Edwin Mercado said their comprehensive drug benefit package, dubbed as Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (Gamot), may now be availed by their eligible members.

"PhilHealth Gamot includes 75 types of free medicines with an annual benefit limit of P20,000 per beneficiary," said Mercado.

He said the package covers medicines for infections (anti-microbial), asthma and COPD, diabetes, high cholesterol (dyslipidemia), high blood pressure and heart conditions (cardiology), and nervous system disorders, along with other supportive therapies.

"These medications are common treatments for a wide range of conditions," Mercado said.

The program previously covered only 21 drugs during its initial phase in 2023, and 54 during its enhancement in 2024.

To avail themselves of the PhilHealth Gamot, members should be registered in their PhilHealth Yakap Clinic of choice.

Following a thorough medical assessment in their Yakap Clinic, their primary care doctor will then issue a prescription containing a Unique Prescription Security Code (UPSC) code.

The beneficiary can then proceed to any Gamot facility and show the prescription and present any government-issued ID.

At present, the accredited Gamot facilities are Vidacure (with branches in Muntinlupa City and Quezon City); Pharma Gen Ventures Corp or Generika Drugstore (with branches in Parañaque City, Navotas City, Quezon City, and Taguig City); CGD Medical Depot Inc. at Vertis North in Quezon City; and Chinese General Hospital in Manila City. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)