Indigent Patient to Leave Hospital with Zero Bill

An indigent high risk pneumonia patient could leave the provincial hospital in Balamban town with zero balance bills.

Vice Governor Agnes Magpale said privileges like this should be explained very well by the hospital staff to the patients.

The Capitol officials who were in Balamban for a consultative meeting with local officials last Oct. 6 also asked for a breakdown of the hospital fees.

The reaction came after it was learned that the patient Ronolfo Gabito, 73, was not immediately released by the hospital because of his hospital bills.

Gabito’s hospital fees reached P16,000. The charges include four-day confinement and medicines.

Belen Gabito, daughter of Ronolfo, sought help from municipal Councilor Primo Paulin. Paulin then asked help from Capitol officials.

Integrated Provincial Health Office Officer-in-Charge Dr. Cynthia Genesolango assured that Gabito will be immediately released from the hospital without spending a single centavo.

She said senior citizens are automatically covered by Philhealth insurance. However, they must present their senior citizen’s cards or other related documents to process the insurance claims. Otherwise, the claim will be denied by Philhealth.

For the admitted non-Philhealth member patients, Philhealth clerk Lady Lowella Lape said the hospital will be the one to process their Philhealth enrolment.

Magpale said she knew that the attending personnel are busy but they must be able to give enough explanation to the patients.

“Kita nga way sakit ato gyud ning agwantahon, nia man tas (We who are not sick must carry out our) public service. Let us be more understanding of the patients who come to us,” she said.

Provincial Board (PB) Member Alex Binghay also wanted to get the details of the bill instead of writing the total amount in a piece of paper.

“Unta gipakita sa pasyente nganong naabot mani’g P16 mil (And let us show why the amount reached P16,000),” said Binghay who also wanted to know the purchase price of the medicines from the suppliers.

The PB members were also in Balamban town for their third out-of-town session.

Binghay said the main purpose of their visit in the town is not really the session but to hear the issues and concerns at the barangay level.

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