Senator Dick Gordon has called on the Department of Health anew to take a look at the unjust practices being committed by both government and private hospitals and medical facilities in the country and take the needed action.
Gordon renewed his call after getting inundated with complaints on social media against the unjust practices of some hospitals, such as imposing excessive fees, collection of deposits before admission, retesting of blood coming from the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), and barring medicine not bought from the hospital pharmacy.
“As I have stressed multiple times in the past, medical facilities’ practice of charging retesting fees for PRC blood units and other unjust practices such as imposing exorbitant fees and demanding deposits before a patient is admitted, among others are unnecessary and only add to the burden poor Filipinos who are already financially stressed,” the Philippine Red Cross chairman said.
“I am not against hospitals but they should not let the people suffer. These hospitals are clearly violating laws, rules, and regulations,” the seasoned legislator further noted as he asked Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
“They should not let the people suffer.”
Hospitals cited in the complaints included the following: Philippine General Hospital, National Kidney Transplant Institute, Philippine Heart Center, East Avenue Medical Center, Lourdes Hospital, Labor Hospital, James L. Gordon Hospital in Olongapo City, Community Hospital in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Medical Center in Dagupan City, Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital, MCU Hospital, Aklan Provincial Hospital, Manila East Medical Center in Taytay, Rizal, and Paranaque Doctors’ Hospital, among others.
“These hospitals are clearly violating laws, rules, and regulations.”
Below are some of the complaints:
“Sad and true. Dead on arrival na tatay ko, 24k pa binayaran ko plus 1,500 kay mama na pinakalma lang. Plus sa confinement days ni papa habang naggagamot na dinischarge dahil kaya na daw ng oral medication. Pero after 3 days namatay sa bahay. Tapos everyday may billing na kelangan mong bayaran, di bibigyan ng gamot pag di pa bayad at sobrang mamahal pa ng gamut,” a Facebook user complained.
“Ang anak ko po, dinala namin sa isang private hospital kaso hinihingan kami ng 50K pangdeposit eh wala akong ganung kalaking pera at that time…Talamak sa pgh at labor hosp. Tamad din mga doctor… Pero sa totoo lang mas mahal pa sa lourdes,” other complainants said.
“Sa pilipinas, Mahal ang magkasakit.. Pag na ospital ka, sa laki ng babayaran MO, mas gugustuhin mo pang mamatay.. Kasi mamamatay k din sa kaiisip panu ka makakabayad sa hospital bills.. Kawawang Pilipino,” another said.
