iCare HMO Philippines has been recognized with two major honors at the 2026 Insurance Asia Awards, receiving AI Initiative of the Year – Philippines for its Telemed7 platform and Strategic Partnership of the Year – Philippines for its Super Preferred Clinics (SPC) program.
From left: Tim Charlton, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Insurance Asia magazine, with iCare executives Dr. Mark Roland F. Malanay, Chief Operating Officer; Geronimo V. Francisco, President and CEO; Jinky B. Lanuza, Head of Network Management; Dr. Elze Grace C. Angelino, Deputy Medical Director; Welhelm Teodoro S. Castroverde, Chief Growth Officer for the General Broker Sales Channel; and Atty. Gideon V. Peña, Chief Commercial Officer.
Presented annually by Insurance Asia, the awards recognize insurers across the Asia-Pacific region that are advancing innovation, improving customer experience, and delivering meaningful business and social impact through technology, products, and strategic initiatives.
For iCare, the dual recognition reflects two complementary priorities shaping the future of healthcare: making medical care more accessible through digital innovation and expanding high-quality primary care through strategic partnerships.
“These awards recognize more than two successful initiatives. They affirm our belief that better healthcare begins with better access,” said Geronimo V. Francisco, President and CEO of iCare HMO Philippines. “Whether through AI-enabled telemedicine or strong partnerships with leading healthcare providers, our focus remains on helping more Filipinos say yes to better health.”
One of the award-winning initiatives, Telemed7, was developed to simplify access to medical consultations. Available through Viber, the AI-enabled platform automates the appointment process and connects members with licensed physicians in as a little as seven minutes, reducing waiting times while making healthcare more convenient for members regardless of location. The platform reflects the growing role of artificial intelligence in improving healthcare delivery by streamlining routine processes and enabling faster access to care.
The second recognition highlights iCare’s Super Preferred Clinics program, a nationwide partnership with The Medical City Clinics, Healthway QualiMed, and Hi-Precision Diagnostics. Rather than operating its own clinics, iCare has adopted a partnership-led model that leverages the expertise and geographic reach of established healthcare providers. Today, the program comprises 157 Super Preferred Clinics nationwide, giving members convenient access to primary care, with consultations at these clinics not charged against their consultation benefit limits.
The strategy reflects iCare’s long-term focus on strengthening its core capabilities as a health maintenance organization while working closely with providers to improve healthcare accessibility and member experience. By combining digital health solutions with an extensive provider network, the company seeks to address growing demand for affordable, timely, and preventive healthcare among employers, families, and individual members.
The recognition also comes as employers across the Philippines continue to navigate rising healthcare costs and increasing expectations for accessible employee health benefits. Digital health platforms and collaborative care models are becoming increasingly important in helping organizations deliver quality healthcare while managing medical inflation.
Since its transformation under Singapore-based Value-Based Healthcare, iCare has accelerated investments in technology, provider partnerships, and member experience. These efforts support the Company’s broader mission of enabling more Filipinos to access quality healthcare through innovation, collaboration, and sustainable healthcare financing.
The two Insurance Asia Awards underscore a broader shift taking place across the healthcare industry. As artificial intelligence becomes more deeply integrated into healthcare delivery and partnerships become increasingly central to expanding access, insurers are evolving beyond their traditional role of financing care to becoming active partners in improving health outcomes.
For iCare, the recognition reinforces a strategy centered on innovation with purpose: using technology to simplify healthcare, partnering with trusted providers to broaden access, and empowering more Filipinos to Say Yes to Better Health.
