NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
Expanded HIV Care Awaits PhilHealth Members Nationwide
Photo credit: PhilHealth
As the world marks World AIDS Day, PhilHealth is stepping up its support for Filipinos living with HIV. With this year’s theme, “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response,” the agency says it’s committed to helping patients get the care they need—safely, privately, and affordably.
Under its enhanced Outpatient HIV/AIDS Treatment (OHAT) Package, PhilHealth is widening financial assistance for essential services. This move is also part of its Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP), which focuses on awareness, early prevention, and guaranteed confidentiality for all members seeking help.
This comes at a crucial time. The Department of Health (DOH) is pushing for a national public health emergency after reporting more than 5,500 new HIV cases from July to September 2025 alone.
PhilHealth Acting President and CEO Dr. Edwin M. Mercado assured the public that no one should fear seeking treatment.
“Wala kayong dapat ipag-alala. Narito ang PhilHealth para sa inyong medikal na pangangailangan,” he said, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to protecting members’ personal information.
And here’s the big upgrade: The OHAT Package benefit has nearly doubled—from ₱30,000 to ₱58,500 per year. This covers antiretroviral therapy (ART) and all other services needed to manage HIV, regardless of a patient’s clinical status, as long as they have a confirmed test result from certified facilities.
The rollout supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to continuously strengthen healthcare benefits. In his State of the Nation Address, he stressed the need for early diagnosis, treatment, more testing sites, and accessible medications to curb the rising trend of HIV cases.
Currently, patients can access the OHAT package through 234 PhilHealth-accredited HIV treatment hubs nationwide. In 2024 alone, PhilHealth spent ₱1.66 billion for 176,819 OHAT claims—evidence of how many Filipinos are relying on the service.
Dr. Mercado also raised concern about the increasing number of young Filipinos contracting HIV. He urged parents to support and guide their children, saying early prevention and regular care—especially through YAKAP Clinics—can make all the difference.
For more details on benefits and services, members can call PhilHealth’s 24/7 hotline at (02) 866-225-88 or reach them via Smart (0998-857-2957, 0968-865-4670) and Globe (0917-127-5987, 0917-110-9812).
Under its enhanced Outpatient HIV/AIDS Treatment (OHAT) Package, PhilHealth is widening financial assistance for essential services. This move is also part of its Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP), which focuses on awareness, early prevention, and guaranteed confidentiality for all members seeking help.
This comes at a crucial time. The Department of Health (DOH) is pushing for a national public health emergency after reporting more than 5,500 new HIV cases from July to September 2025 alone.
PhilHealth Acting President and CEO Dr. Edwin M. Mercado assured the public that no one should fear seeking treatment.
“Wala kayong dapat ipag-alala. Narito ang PhilHealth para sa inyong medikal na pangangailangan,” he said, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to protecting members’ personal information.
And here’s the big upgrade: The OHAT Package benefit has nearly doubled—from ₱30,000 to ₱58,500 per year. This covers antiretroviral therapy (ART) and all other services needed to manage HIV, regardless of a patient’s clinical status, as long as they have a confirmed test result from certified facilities.
The rollout supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to continuously strengthen healthcare benefits. In his State of the Nation Address, he stressed the need for early diagnosis, treatment, more testing sites, and accessible medications to curb the rising trend of HIV cases.
Currently, patients can access the OHAT package through 234 PhilHealth-accredited HIV treatment hubs nationwide. In 2024 alone, PhilHealth spent ₱1.66 billion for 176,819 OHAT claims—evidence of how many Filipinos are relying on the service.
Dr. Mercado also raised concern about the increasing number of young Filipinos contracting HIV. He urged parents to support and guide their children, saying early prevention and regular care—especially through YAKAP Clinics—can make all the difference.
For more details on benefits and services, members can call PhilHealth’s 24/7 hotline at (02) 866-225-88 or reach them via Smart (0998-857-2957, 0968-865-4670) and Globe (0917-127-5987, 0917-110-9812).
Dec 1, 2025
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