Iloilo City, Aug. 5 -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) is hoping to accredit more providers, including pharmacies and cancer screening laboratories in Western Visayas, as it expands its primary care services under its YAKAP (Yaman ng Kalusugan Para Malayo sa Sakit) program.

"If we remember with Konsulta (Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama), we've been covering the usual consultation, medicines, and laboratories. But with our PhilHealth YAKAP right now, this is already the expanded version of our primary benefit package," Janimhe Jalbuna, head of the public affairs unit of the state insurer in Western Visayas, said in an interview on Tuesday.

As of June 15 this year, PhilHealth Western Visayas (PhilHealth-6) has accredited 19...