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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Hospitals should not hold remains of deceased COVID-19 patients over unpaid bills, PhilHealth to shoulder expenses

Hospitals should not hold remains of deceased COVID-19 patients over unpaid bills, PhilHealth to shoulder expenses

Published Apr 16, 2020 12:00 am
By Noreen Jazul The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) said “there’s no reason” for hospitals to hold the remains or ashes of a deceased COVID-19 patient over unsettled bills. Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) (MANILA BULLETIN) Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) (MANILA BULLETIN) PhilHealth Corporate Affairs Group Vice President, Dr. Shirley Domingo, explained this after a hospital in Pampanga reportedly withheld the ashes of a COVID-19 patient because the family has yet to pay their total bill of P1.7 million. Domingo said PhilHealth has earlier announced that bills of patients admitted from February 1 to April 14 will be fully covered. “Hindi tama… There’s no reason to hold any patient, alive or namatay or ashes dahil lang sa bayarin kasi nandito naman yung PhilHealth para bayaran yung whole bill until April 14 (It’s not right… There’s no reason to hold any patient, whether alive or dead or their ashes for unsettled bills because PhilHealth will be shouldering the patient’s entire bill until April 14),” Domingo told DZMM in an interview on April 16, Thursday. Castro said they have been in coordination with the involved hospital and the patient’s family regarding the complaint. Meanwhile, Castro said the patient’s family, who reportedly paid the hospital P600,000, can request for reimbursement as long as they provide proper and “detailed” documents.
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