Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Hospital Patients Can Leave Without Paying Bills?

Die now, pay later?

Not an insurance company gimmick. Not a scam either.

It is but a reminder from Bohol Gov . Erico Aumentado for public and private hospitals and medical clinics operating in the province not to detain patients and cadavers on the grounds of non-payment of hospital bills or medical expenses.

In a memo-advisory, Aumentado said it has come to his attention that there are still instances where hospitals refuse to release patients who have fully or partially recovered, or cadavers, because they have not paid their bills.

He reminded the administrations of all hospitals and medical clinics that such practice is prohibited under Republic Act 9439.

Section 1 of Ra 9439 states that it shall be unlawful for any hospital or medical clinic in the country to detain or to otherwise cause, directly or indirectly, the detention of patients who have fully or partially recovered or have been adequately attended to, or who may have died, for reasons of non-payment in part or in full of hospital bills and medical expenses.

The memo-advisory said patients shall be allowed to leave the hospital or medical clinic, or the bodies of deceased patients shall be released, with the issuance of the corresponding medical or death certificate upon the execution of a promissory note secured either by a mortgage or by a guarantee of a co-maker.

Aumentado warned hospital or clinic officers or employees responsible for releasing patients or cadavers who violate the law shall be fined from P20,000 to P50,000 or imprisoned for one to six months, or penalized with both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

The governor issued the advisory after receiving several requests from such patients or relatives of those who died, including a British national who wanted to bury his Filipina wife in her home province in Mindanao but whose cadaver the hospital would not release, asking for his intercession. 

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