PhilHealth, insurers team up under YAKAP to cut healthcare costs
PhilHealth and private insurers have launched the YAKAP program to coordinate healthcare coverage in the Philippines. The initiative allows patients to use government benefits as a primary layer, with private insurance covering additional costs to reduce out-of-pocket expenses.
Why it matters
This integration aims to make healthcare more affordable and efficient for Filipinos by streamlining public and private insurance benefits.
PhilHealth and major private health insurers are combining their benefits so Filipinos can use government coverage first and tap their private plans for additional expenses, an arrangement aimed at reducing out-of-pocket healthcare costs. The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) said its Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) would serve as the first layer of coverage for primary care, while participating health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and private health insurers would cover benefits beyond the government package.
Under a memorandum of understanding, HMOs and private insurers will act as secondary payers and may cover expenses exceeding PhilHealth benefit limits or services outside its primary care package.
These may include specialized procedures, branded medicines and hospital room upgrades.
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