P2M paid so VSMMC would accept Cebu City patients

CEBU, Philippines -  Cebu City patients under the City Hospitalization Assistance and Medicines Program (Champ) can now be admitted at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), after City Hall deposited with the hospital P2 million as deposit fund yesterday.

Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella announced this yesterday after he signed the voucher indicating the amount of P2 million as deposit for Champ beneficiaries.

“Today (yesterday) I just signed the voucher in the amount of P2 million. This means any city constituents who would like to avail of the champ coverage can now be admitted at VSMMC,” he said.

Champ head Henry Sanchez is reminding patients to first secure an endorsement from his office before their admission at accredited hospitals like VSMMC, Chong Hua Hospital, Sacred Heart Hospital, Saint Vincent General Hospital, and Miller Hospital.

Labella said VSMMC Medical Director Gerardo Aquino said the facility is willing to accept Cebu City patients whether they are Champ beneficiaries or not, stressing that there was never a condition set as to the admission of patients.

Labella asked VSMMC representatives to meet Mayor Michael Rama next week to clarify matters.

VSMMC, a public general and tertiary medical facility, has deferred admitting patients covered by Champ since 2010 because the city government failed to settle P3 million in payables incurred in 2009 to 2010.

Labella said the city did not disburse payment for the amount because VSMMC allegedly failed to submit documents like patients’ medical abstract and diagnosis, among others, required by the Commission on Audit.

CCMC has tapped other medical institutions to serve city residents after the Department of Health recently downgraded its status to a Level 1 hospital from being a Level 2 facility. As a result, the city-run hospital can no longer perform major surgeries.

This, as DOH-7 noted that CCMC was no longer capable of performing major operations because of the hospital’s present location.

CCMC is temporarily occupying a Bureau of Fire Protection building after its old building was severely damaged by the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck October 15 last year. The building was eventually demolished last February 2014.— /RHM (FREEMAN)