Gov welcomes anti-deposit law

Governor Hilario Davide III has lauded the signing into law of a bill, imposing higher sanctions against hospitals and clinics that ask for deposit before administering medical treatment to patients, especially those in emergency situations.

Under Republic Act 109321 (Anti-Hospital Deposit Law), it shall be unlawful for officials and staff of a hospital or clinic to “request, solicit, demand or accept any deposit or any other form of advance payment as pre-requisite for administering basic emergency care to any patient…or to refuse to administer medical treatment and support as dictated by good practice to prevent death or permanent disability.”

The same applies in the case of pregnant women.

The law authored by Senator Riza Hontiveros also provides that upon three repeated violations committed by a hospital or medical clinic, the health facility's license to operate shall be revoked by the Department of Health (DOH).

Davide said the law is a welcome development, noting that some private medical institutions have been turning down poor patients.

“It's a very good law. “Naa'y mga hospital nga dili mo-admit gud kung dili kadeposit,” he said.

“Kasagaran gyud nga mabiktima ani kay kaning mga pobre gyud ba who could not afford to pay the deposit,” he added.

Doctor Rene Catan, Provincial Health Office head, said it is common among private hospitals to turn down poor patients because they “prioritize profit over service.”

He added that the most vulnerable area in the hospital for this kind of abuse is the emergency room.

Catan stressed that any patients brought to the emergency rooms of Cebu's 12 district and four provincial hospitals are not asked to make a deposit.

“Government-run hospitals like ours have no deposit policy,” he said.

Usual hospital deposit rates will range between P5,000 to over P10,000.

Under RA 109321, hospitals that would refuse treatment of emergency-case patients due to lack of money will be fined from P100,000 to P1 million.

The governor hopes that the law would improve further the delivery of medical services to the people especially the indigent patients.

The implementing rules and regulations will be prepared by the DOH in coordination with PhilHealth and the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and in consultation with nongovernment organizations advocating patients' rights and public health.