Senate approves anti-detention hospital bill

National

HEALTH care facilities detaining patients over unpaid medical bills will be penalized.

This was contained in a bill that was passed by the Senate on Monday, Aug. 17.

Senators voted 18-0-1 to approve Senate Bill No. 1511, the Enhanced Anti-Hospital Detention Act with

Sen. Risa Hontiveros as principal author.

Under the bill, hospital directors or officers who enforce such detention policies will face up to P1 million in fines and will be penalized with up to six years in prison, a Philstar report tated.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson registered the lone abstention, explaining that he is a founder of a hospital in his hometown in Cavite.

According to Hontiveros, the legislation does not cancel medical debts or grant hospitals blanket tax write-offs and also does not mandate the government to automatically assume unpaid bills.

The lawmaker said financially incapable patients are still required to execute a promissory note secured by a mortgage, a contract of guarantee or a guarantee letter from agencies such as the departments of health or social welfare before they can be discharged.(MyTVCebu)