Solon flags hospitals over 'detention' of unpaid seniors

A lawmaker has raised concerns about alleged reports of hospitals refusing to release patients due to unpaid bills and misuse of patients' guarantee letters.

Senior Citizens Party-list Representative Rodolfo Ordanes made the claims in a privilege speech this week, saying that his office has been receiving reports from senior citizens who complained against three government tertiary hospitals and one private hospital.

Ordanes said the hospitals could be in violation of the Anti-Hospital Detention Act and the Zero Balance Billing policy, and misuse of guarantee letter under the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) Program.

“May mga senior citizens po na klaro nang magaling at pinayagan na ng doktor na makauwi, ngunit patuloy pa ring pinipigilang ma-discharge ng ospital dahil sa kakulangan ng pambayad. Mas masaklap pa, may mga pagkakataong pati ang mga pumanaw na pasyente ay hindi agad nailalabas ang bangkay sa parehong dahilan,” he said.

(We have received reports of seniors being given a discharge order by the doctor, but they cannot go home because the hospital is preventing them from doing so due to unpaid bills. There are also cases of patients who died but the family cannot give them a proper burial due to the same reason of unpaid bills.)

The lawmaker said reports also reached them about patients who have pledged to give collateral but were still refused admission or discharge.

Another instance was the case of the misuse of a guarantee letter of a senior citizen.

“I call on the DOH to ensure that all hospitals follow discharge protocols, do not detain patients just because of unpaid bills, and are using the guarantee letters properly. The same call goes for PhilHealth,” Ordanes added.

In response to Ordanes, DOH Undersecretary Albert Domingo said the DOH will always be ready to assist aggrieved patients.

“Handa ang DOH na tumulong sa lahat ng may nais ilapit na reklamo o sitwasyong maaaring may paglabag sa polisiya. Nais po naming tatanggapin ang mga detalye para agarang matulungan,” Domingo said.

(The DOH is ready to address the grievances of the public who might have been victimized by policy violations on the part of the hospitals. We would be glad to receive additional information so we can immediately respond accordingly.) —LDF, GMA Integrated News