Father thanked government for son’s zero hospital bill
By Renelle L. Escuadro
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Joey Chris S. Cortejos stepped out of the Butuan City Medical Center’s (BMC) financial assistance office with great relief as his son’s hospital bill was covered by PhilHealth’s No Balance Billing (NBB) program.
Cortejos, during an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga on July 14, shared that his son was admitted to a hospital in Butuan City due to a motorcycle accident. He was anxious about the money to pay for the P60,000 hospital bill.
“Nagpasalamat jud ko sa gobyerno pinaagi sa PhilHealth, hilabi na sa city government sa Butuan ug sa BMC kay maski piso wala koy mabayaran sa pagka-ospital sa akong anak. Makagawas mi sa ospital nga walay bayad sa among dako nga bill tungod sa programa nga No Balance Billing,” he said
(I want to thank the government, especially the city government of Butuan and BMC, because I did not have to pay even a single centavo for the hospital bill of my son. We can leave the hospital worry-free from our large bill because of the No Balance Billing program.)
“With No Balance Billing, there is no need for me to borrow money because my son can go home without paying for the medical services and expenses, including medicines and doctor’s fees,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ermelita A. Rojo, PhilHealth customer assistance, relations and empowerment staff (P-CARES), explained the state insurer’s program on NBB. “Through PhilHealth Circular No. 2017-006, stakeholders are requested to ensure the implementation of No Balance Billing, strengthening the universal health care agenda of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.”
“The No Balance Billing mandates that no other fees or expenses shall be charged or be paid for by the indigent patients above and beyond the package rates during their confinement period,” Rojo said.
“However, the program is conveniently available in hospitals run by the Department of Health (DOH) and local government units such as BMC in Butuan City, while requirements have to be met and complied with if a qualified patient is admitted to private healthcare facilities,” she added.
She also emphasized that the program, aside from indigent, also covers sponsored or whose member is being paid by another individual, government agency or private entity; domestic worker or ‘kasambahay;’ senior citizens; and individuals categorized as lifetime or a member who has reached the age of retirement under the law and has paid at least 120 monthly premium contributions.
Rojo further said that health care institutions are instructed to give NBB patients preferential access to their social welfare funds or other sources for financing, such as the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Medical Assistance Program, which may be used to augment the benefit package, provided in case of insufficiency to cover all facility charges. (RLE, PIA Dinagat Islands)
