Complete List of Licensed HMOs in the Philippines 2026 (Insurance Commission)

Quick Answer: As of the Insurance Commission's November 30, 2025 roster of HMOs with a valid Certificate of Authority, roughly 28 HMOs are licensed to operate in the Philippines. Most are corporate/group-only — only about a dozen sell individual or family plans directly to the public, and even fewer publish their prices. Two names on the list carry active or recent regulatory flags: Getwell Health System is under an IC cease-and-desist order and conservatorship with no lifting notice published as of this writing (do not sign up — verify current status with the IC first), and Medocare had a CDO from June to December 2025 that has since been lifted. The full roster, status, and links to a detailed guide for each brand are below.

Table of Contents

• What does an HMO license from the Insurance Commission mean?
• How to verify an HMO is actually licensed
• The full list of IC-licensed HMOs in the Philippines (2026)
• Regulatory red flags: cease-and-desist orders and conservatorships
• The big retail HMO brands
• Individual vs corporate-only: who can actually buy in
• Small and niche HMOs (short profiles)
• HMO vs PhilHealth
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

What does an HMO license from the Insurance Commission mean? {#what-does-an-hmo-license-mean}

An HMO operating legally in the Philippines must hold a Certificate of Authority (CA) issued by the Insurance Commission (IC), the government agency that regulates HMOs alongside traditional insurers. A CA means the company has met the IC's capital, solvency, and reporting requirements and is authorized to sell health plans and collect membership fees.

This matters because the barrier to entry has been rising. Per reports on the IC's capitalization rules, minimum paid-up capital for HMOs is set to climb in stages — roughly ₱100 million by the end of 2025, up to ₱200 million by 2028, ₱350 million by 2031, and ₱500 million by 2034. Smaller and newer HMOs are having to raise fresh capital to stay compliant, which is part of why a few names on this list are actively fundraising or have gone through ownership changes recently.

A CA is not a permanent guarantee, either — the IC can and does place HMOs under cease-and-desist orders (CDOs) or conservatorship if it finds compliance issues, as you'll see further down this list. Holding a CA today doesn't mean a company's status won't change tomorrow, which is exactly why it's worth checking before you sign anything.

How to verify an HMO is actually licensed {#how-to-verify}

Before enrolling with any HMO — especially one you haven't heard of — check its status directly on the Insurance Commission's website, insurance.gov.ph. The IC publishes the current roster of HMOs with a valid Certificate of Authority, along with news releases on any CDOs, conservatorships, or lifted orders. Company websites and sales agents won't always volunteer regulatory history, so this is the one source that will.

A few practical checks:

• Confirm the company name (not just the brand name) appears on the IC's current CA list.
• Search the IC's news/advisories section for the company name to check for any CDO or conservatorship notices — and whether they've been lifted.
• Match the registered name to what's printed on your policy or member card. Some brands (like iCare, Flexicare, or UNISHIELD) operate under a different corporate name than the brand you see marketed.

The full list of IC-licensed HMOs in the Philippines (2026) {#full-list}

Below is the roster compiled from the IC's November 30, 2025 Certificate of Authority list, cross-referenced with each company's own disclosures and regulatory notices. "Individual plans" means an ordinary person can buy in without going through an employer; "published prices" means the company lists at least some actual peso figures rather than requiring a quote.

Regulatory red flags: cease-and-desist orders and conservatorships {#regulatory-flags}

Three names on this list have gone through IC enforcement action in the past few years. Here's the factual status of each, as confirmed against the IC's own site:

Getwell Health System, Inc. — The IC placed Getwell under a cease-and-desist order and conservatorship effective May 13, 2025. As of this writing, no notice lifting that order has been published on the IC's site. This means the CDO appears to still be in effect. We are not recommending Getwell in any of our guides while this status stands. If you're being offered a Getwell plan, verify its current status directly with the Insurance Commission before paying anything.

Medocare Health Systems, Inc. — The IC issued a CDO and conservatorship effective June 18, 2025, citing product-approval non-compliance. That order was lifted effective December 16, 2025, per an IC notice corroborated by multiple business press outlets. Medocare's most recent quarterly financials, reported after the lifting, showed growth in assets and net income with no adverse items noted since. Its current status is active and in good standing.

Forticare Health Systems International, Inc. — Forticare has been placed under conservatorship twice: once in October 2021, and again (with a CDO) on July 31, 2024. Both were lifted, most recently on January 17, 2025. Forticare currently holds no open CDO and is in good standing, but the repeat history is worth knowing before you compare it against HMOs with a clean record.

None of the other HMOs on this list carry a disclosed CDO or conservatorship history in the sources we reviewed. Carewell's failure to file a 2025 financial report is a separate, lesser flag — a reporting lapse rather than a confirmed enforcement action — but it's still worth asking about directly if you're considering them.

The big retail HMO brands {#big-brands}

If you're shopping as an individual rather than getting HMO through work, these are the names that actually sell direct with published prices and a straightforward buying process:

• Maxicare — the largest retail HMO, with prepaid consult cards, emergency cards, and a full comprehensive plan.
• MediCard — long-running individual and family plans with its own hospital network.
• PhilCare — individual and family HMO plans with published pricing.
• Cocolife Healthcare — HMO plans backed by the Cocolife insurance group.
• Intellicare — the largest HMO by 2025 net income, but sold almost entirely through employers; individuals can only buy limited prepaid cards direct.

For a side-by-side comparison of these and other options, see our best HMO in the Philippines and cheapest HMO in the Philippines roundups.

Individual vs corporate-only: who can actually buy in {#individual-vs-corporate}

The honest split, based on what's actually published: roughly a third of the HMOs on this list will sell you a plan directly as an individual. The rest are built around employer or cooperative relationships and simply don't have a retail path — no matter how their marketing copy reads.

Sell individual/family plans directly: Maxicare, MediCard, PhilCare, Cocolife Healthcare, EastWest Healthcare, Pacific Cross, iCare, ValuCare, Medicare Plus, HMI, UNISHIELD (HC&D), Forticare, and Medocare. Kaiser and Optimum also describe individual coverage, though their buying process is less clearly self-serve.

Corporate, SME, or group only: Intellicare (comprehensive plans), Avega, Wellcare, AsianCare, Carewell, Metrocare, Hive Health, Flexicare, IWC, and Life & Health HMP. If your only path to one of these is through an employer, that's by design, not an oversight on your part.

Restricted retail: KayaMed sells only to CARD MRI microfinance clients and their dependents in specific provinces. 1CoopHealth sells only to members of participating cooperatives (or those granted honorary membership). Both have real, published prices — you just need to qualify for membership first.

If you're freelancing or don't have employer coverage, see our guide to the best HMOs for individuals and freelancers for a narrower shortlist.

Small and niche HMOs {#small-niche-hmos}

A handful of licensed HMOs are too small, too corporate-focused, or too thin on public information to warrant a full guide of their own. Here's what we could confirm about each:

• AsianCare Health Systems — founded 2011, serves blue-collar and project-based workers through employers; no individual purchase path or published prices.
• Carewell Health Systems — HR-enrolled only, salaried employees ages 18–60; filed no 2025 financial report with the IC.
• Metrocare Health Systems — built specifically for contractual and blue-collar workforces; roughly 100 accredited hospitals and clinics.
• Optimum Medical and Healthcare Services (OMHSI) — the only one of this group to describe personal and family coverage alongside corporate plans, but with no visible way to actually purchase as an individual.
• Wellcare Health Maintenance — owned by Transnational Diversified Group; its own client list is almost entirely shipping and manning agencies, suggesting a corporate-only book of business. Not related to the US Wellcare (Centene).
• Life & Health HMP — a Cebu-based HMO built for corporations and SMEs, with over 100,000 members claimed across 300+ companies.
• Dynamic Care Corporation — holds an active IC license, but its website offers almost nothing to verify beyond contact details. If you're offered a Dynamic Care plan, confirm the specifics directly with the company before enrolling.

HMO vs PhilHealth {#hmo-vs-philhealth}

Every HMO on this list works on top of PhilHealth, not instead of it — PhilHealth is your baseline government coverage, and your HMO card pays the gap that PhilHealth doesn't. If you're not clear on how the two interact, see our PhilHealth benefits and coverage guide and our HMO vs PhilHealth comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many HMOs are licensed in the Philippines?

Roughly 28, based on the Insurance Commission's roster of companies holding a valid Certificate of Authority as of November 30, 2025. The exact count shifts slightly over time as licenses are renewed, lapse, or get placed under regulatory action.

How do I check if an HMO is legitimately licensed?

Check the company's name against the current Certificate of Authority list published on insurance.gov.ph, and search the same site's news and advisories section for any cease-and-desist or conservatorship notices under that name.

Is Getwell a legit HMO?

Getwell holds an IC license, but it has been under a cease-and-desist order and conservatorship since May 13, 2025, with no lifting notice published as of this writing. We do not recommend enrolling with Getwell until its status is confirmed as resolved directly with the Insurance Commission.

Is Medocare safe to join now?

Medocare's CDO and conservatorship, in effect from June to December 2025, was lifted on December 16, 2025. Its most recent reported financials show growth with no adverse items noted since. It's currently in good standing, but as with any HMO, it's worth double-checking current status before you enroll.

Which HMOs actually let me buy a plan on my own, without an employer?

Maxicare, MediCard, PhilCare, Cocolife Healthcare, EastWest Healthcare, Pacific Cross, iCare, ValuCare, Medicare Plus, HMI, UNISHIELD, Forticare, and Medocare all sell individual or family plans directly. Most of the rest on this list are corporate or group-only.

Why don't more HMOs publish their prices?

Because most Philippine HMOs are built around corporate and SME contracts, where pricing is negotiated per company based on group size, benefit design, and member ages. Publishing a single fixed price doesn't fit that sales model, so "quote-only" is the norm rather than the exception on this list.

Is Kaiser in the Philippines the same as Kaiser Permanente in the US?

No. Kaiser International Healthgroup, Inc. is a separate Philippine company with no relation to the US-based Kaiser Permanente.

What's the cheapest HMO on this list?

Among plans with published prices, KayaMed (₱2,300/year, restricted to CARD MRI clients) and 1CoopHealth's Ward plan (₱4,350/year, restricted to cooperative members) are the lowest we found — both come with real eligibility restrictions attached, though. For a broader comparison of affordable options open to more people, see our cheapest HMO in the Philippines guide.

Conclusion

The Philippine HMO market is bigger and more fragmented than the five or six brand names most people recognize. Of the roughly 28 licensed HMOs, only about a dozen will actually sell you a plan without an employer standing between you and the company, and even fewer tell you what it costs up front. Before you sign up with any of them — especially a name you haven't heard of — confirm its Certificate of Authority and regulatory history directly on insurance.gov.ph.

For the brands that do sell direct, start with our in-depth guides: Maxicare, MediCard, PhilCare, Cocolife Healthcare, Pacific Cross, iCare, EastWest Healthcare, ValuCare, Medicare Plus, Forticare, and Medocare. If you're weighing options more broadly, see how to choose an HMO or browse our best HMO in the Philippines roundup.