Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday said the government might revoke licenses to operate of members of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. who will make good its threat not to treat patients.
“I hear the concern of some private hospitals. I understand the need to balance the right to do business and provide health care services,” said Hontiveros.
But threatening the public with health care denial, she said, is wrong and again, cannot be tolerated.
“I know that the majority of private hospitals don’t think this way,” she said.
“But to those who think they can take hostage the people’s right to universal health care, you are in the wrong business,” she added.
PHAPI, through its president, threatened not to renew its members’ accreditation to PhilHealth, saying that many of them had yet to receive their reimbursements from the state health insurer.
Hontiveros said that she considers the threat an attack on the people’s right to universal health care, especially with the recent signing of the UHC Law’s implementing rules and regulations.
She said that if it pushes through, it will deprive millions of PhilHealth members access to adequate hospital care and treatment.
