MANILA, Philippines – Ikinokonsidera ng Department of Health (DOH) ang polisiya na mag-oobliga sa mga ospital na isapubliko ang bilang ng mga available na charity beds para sa indigent patients at upfront fees na maaari nilang bayaran sa oras na ma-confine.
“We can issue an administrative order [for] hospitals to state that there are several beds open for charity beds,” ayon kay Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa sa press briefing kasama ang Valenzuela City local government unit.
“It’s been a long time since we started pushing for private hospitals to post their tables of their standard fees on their facilities, so their patients would know the possible costs the moment they enter the facility. If they cannot afford it, then they will opt to go to another hospital,” aniya.
Sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 1939, binibigyang mandato ang lahat ng government hospitals na maglaan ng 90 percent ng kanilang bed capacity nang libre o charity, habang ang Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) ang sasagot sa kabuuang medical bill ng indigent patients.
Samantala, ang mga pribadong ospital naman ay obligadong maglaan ng 10 percent ng kanilang bed capacity bilang charity beds sa ilalim ng DOH Administrative Order No. 2007-0041.
Tinukoy ni Herbosa ang “complicated” billing system ng mga pribadong ospital, na bagamat naisasapubliko naman ang rate ng mga room at procedure, nag-iiba iba naman ang professional fees ng mga doctor.
“We have been studying to standardize the hospital fees and professional fees. But we have to strike a balance. We do not want private hospitals to get bankrupt, because they are filling the gaps of public hospitals,” paliwanag ni Herbosa.
Ang isyu kaugnay sa charity beds ay naungkat dahil sa “palit-ulo” controversy sangkot ang isang pribadong ospital sa Valenzuela City.
Dito kasi ay hindi pinalabas ang kaanak ng pasyente dahil hindi ito nakapagbayad ng kanilang bill. RNT/JGC
