Manila, Philippines — In aim of providing stronger protection for patients, the Senate on Monday, August 17, has finally approved a bill amending the law that prohibits detention of patients due to unpaid bills.
During the third and final reading, the upper chamber approved Senate Bill No. 1511 that is aimed at expanding the scope of the law that prohibits the detention of patients in hospitals and similar medical facilities due to unsettled accounts.
Under the proposed measure, it extends the prohibition of detention to the relatives, representatives, or carers of patients.
Including as well as newborn children held in detention in exchange of allowing the patient to leave the facility.
The bill states that patients who have fully or partially recovered but are financially incapable of paying their dues shall be allowed to leave the hospital or medical facilities.
Further, the proposed measure seeks to grant patients the right to demand the immediate issuance of their medical certificate, dischargesummary, prescriptions, and other pertinent documents needed fro their release.
This is upon execution of a promissory note covering the unsettled bills.
Additionally, the unpaid dues may be secured through:
– mortgage over a real or personal property
– guarantee from a co-maker
– dead of assignment of SSS or GSIS loan proceeds or benefits
– PCSO guarantee letter or for indigent and financially incapacitated patients
– guarantee letter from DSWD or DOH
However, the bill states that indigent senior citizens endorsed by the hospital’s medical social services office to the DSWD shall not be required to execute a promissory note.
On the other hand, for cases involving deceased patients, the bill seeks the immediate release of cadavers to surviving relatives, as well as the prompt issuance of death and similar certificates necessary fot interment, benefit claims, or legal proceedings—all without requiring payment.
Meanwhile, an offending officer or employee of a medical facility may face imprisonment of 6 months and one day up to two years and four months.
The fine ranges from P100,000 to P300,000.
The bill added that if the violation was committed pursuant to an established hospital or clinic policy or upon the instruction of management, the responsible officer may face imprisonment of four to six years or a fine of P500,000 to P1million.
Three repeated violations under such policy may result in the revocation of the health facility’s licenses to operate by the DOH.—Mia Layaguin, Eurotv News