PhilHealth pushes for early screening and detection for better health, lower costs

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) called on the public to utilize early screening services amid fears regarding diagnosis and increasing healthcare costs.

In an interview with GMA News Online during a launch at SSS Diliman on Thursday, PhilHealth Vice President Walter Bacareza said that the government’s job is to ensure that services remain accessible at the convenience of patients.

“We need to make the supply side available. There’s no use na magsabi na magpatingin kayo kung wala namang facility… Tayo mismo, sa traffic, walang oras so dapat one-stop na lang. Pagpunta mo ng SSS, meron na rin. So the strategy is to make healthcare available, then let’s talk about how to increase the demand side,” he said.

(We need to make the supply side available. There’s no use in telling people to seek check-ups if there are no facilities… Even us ourselves, with the traffic, have no time so it has to be a one-stop. When you go to the SSS, there should be one there already. The strategy is to make healthcare available, then let’s talk about how to increase the demand side.)

He noted that hesitance in seeking healthcare stems from a patient’s distance from access centers, time and effort required, and the high costs resulting from it.

Under PhilHealth’s YAKAP Program, Bacareza said cost will no longer be an issue.

“We have to educate people na it would actually be detrimental to the financial health of the entire family kung hindi sila magpa-check up early. So ngayon, gagawin natin yan ng paraan,” he said.

(We have to educate people that it would actually be detrimental to the financial health of the entire family if they don’t get checked early. Now, we will make a way to do that.)

“Kapag marami ng supply side, we hope the Filipinos will seek primary care because it's not only free but it's available,” he added.

(If there’s already a lot provided in the supply side, we hope the Filipinos will seek primary care because it's not only free but it's available.)

“Ang panawagan ng PhilHealth at Department of Health sa lahat ng Pilipino na wag maghintay pa na maospital o makaranas ng sakit bago magpatingin, magpakonsulta, o magpalaboratoryo. Ang mensahe po natin ay magpa-check up twice a year, once a year sa mga YAKAP centers natin kasi libre at dumadami na rin,” he added.

(The call of PhilHealth and the Department of Health for all Filipinos is to no longer wait to be hospitalized or get sick before getting checked, getti ng a consultation or going for a laboratory screening. Our message is to get check-ups twice a year, once a year through our YAKAP centers because it is free and increasing in numbers.)

To avail of YAKAP’s early screening tests, patients only needed to register under an accredited YAKAP center and provide their health profile.

Accredited YAKAP doctors would then refer the patient for recommended screening tests, provide diagnosis, and prescribe appropriate medication.

PhilHealth beneficiaries are entitled to P20,000 worth of medicine and services annually through YAKAP centers.

As of January 2026, there are over 4,000 accredited YAKAP clinics nationwide. 

Click here for the list of accredited YAKAP clinics as of January 31, 2026. — BM, GMA Integrated News