Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa advised patients on Monday that if they can no longer afford admission to private hospitals, they should request PhilHealth beds.
Unbeknownst to many, private hospitals are required by the DOH to allocate 10 percent of their total beds for PhilHealth or charity beds.
“If you find yourselves needing to go to a private hospital and see that you can’t afford the expenses, just immediately let them know that you want to be transferred to the charity beds,” the health secretary advised.
According to Herbosa, if patients request a PhilHealth bed, they will be transferred to a ward instead of a private room. Unlike a private room, which incurs daily charges, the charity ward is free, similar to a public hospital.
Additionally, Sec. Herbosa noted that under Republic Act (RA) 10932, private hospitals cannot require a deposit or any advance payment as a prerequisite for administering basic emergency care to any patient.
Herbosa also mentioned another law, RA 9439, which prohibits the detention of patients in hospitals and medical clinics due to nonpayment of their hospital bills or medical expenses.
He encouraged the public to consider public hospitals as an option for medical treatment to avoid heavy hospital expenses and debt from private hospitals.
He also reminded the public that the DOH offers medical assistance for indigent and financially incapacitated patients.
“If private hospitals are not affordable, let’s not go there as it will lead to problems and debt. Let’s go to public hospitals,” Herbosa urged.
