DOH urged: Probe hospitals violating anti-deposit law

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has urged the Department of Health (DOH) to look into the alleged violation of the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law committed by some private hospitals in the city.

A resolution was approved by the City Council on Wednesday after Councilor Rey Gealon delivered a privilege speech on the “troubling matter.”

According to Gealon, requiring a cash deposit from a patient before giving the needed medical services is contrary to the mandates of Republic Act 10932 or the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law.

The councilor said he was compelled to bring the matter before the council after receiving complaints from patients who were allegedly turned down by private hospitals due to lack of cash deposit.

Gealon has urged all the hospital administrators to revisit their policy as he reminded them of the law that prohibits requiring a deposit from a patient. He said the law was enacted to ensure that no "Filipino is denied essential healthcare due to a lack of upfront payment or financial means".

“Unfortunately, despite the clear provisions of this law, we continue to hear of patients turned away, denied admission, or given limited care simply because they cannot afford to make a deposit,” said Gealon.

He added that there were even facilities that have refused or discouraged the acceptance of government assistance. Gealon said that such policy undermines a mechanism that is supposed to aid families cover portions of their medical costs.

Gealon cited a specific incident wherein a patient entered a certain hospital and was greeted with a question if they have insurance to back their needed service. During his speech, a document showing a hospital bill stamped with the name of the hospital along with a notice that they are “not for government assistance.”

“Ug kung wa man gani ng pangutanaha, ingnon ka nga saka didto, bayri bisan P10,000 lang nga deposit. Karon naabot didto sa opisina kini nga billing…asa man diay musulod diri, atong programa unta nga CHAMP?” said Gealon.

CHAMP or City Hospitalization Assistance and Medicines Program can be availed by indigent residents in the city’s accredited partner hospitals. Gealon noted that there are a number of constituents that are relying on the city’s programs for assistance such as CHAMP.

He added that the “modus” of some hospitals is to let the patients pay the progress billing “on a daily basis” instead of just issuing a final billing before discharge. He explained that the final billing is among the requirements in order to avail the assistance or reimbursements from CHAMP or the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“Pero ang problema, kay adlawon ka didto og paningil, tuktokon ka didto sa imong kwarto, pangutan-on ka pila may kwarta ninyo?” Gealon lamented.

Gealon explained that when the hospital bill bears a notice "not for government assistance," this means that the particular charges on the bill are not eligible for coverage by government assistance programs such as PhilHealth, DSWD Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients (MAIP), or PCSO medical assistance, or the city’s program such as CHAMP.

It means that hospital expects the patient or their family to pay the sum directly, as they are not covered by available government programs.

According to Gealon, while government assistance often covers only essential healthcare services and charges for certain “services, medications, or amenities like private rooms, some diagnostics, or non-urgent procedures,” it does not mean that hospitals should make a general exclusion of government assistance.

Gealon said the law is clear and “it mandates that all hospitals and medical facilities provide immediate medical attention to individuals in need, regardless of their financial capacity. This law is built on a simple yet powerful principle: healthcare should never be a privilege reserved only for those who can afford it but a fundamental right for all.”

He further said that when hospitals refuse to accept government assistance, they not only go against the law but also disregard the primary reason for their existence – “to care for people in need”.

The council has ordered the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) to inspect the business practices of the hospitals to ensure their compliance with the said law. –/FPL (FREEMAN)