(Eagle News)–Senator Risa Hontiveros on Sunday, Dec. 8, reiterated it was a crime for hospitals to ask a person in need of urgent emergency care for cash deposits before attending to him or her.
Under RA 10932, or the Strengthened Anti-Hospital Deposit Law, in cases of emergency which can lead to a person’s death, the hospital will not “request, solicit, demand or accept any deposit or any other form of advance payment” before giving the necessary basic emergency care.
She said hospital practitioners found guilty of violating the law may be fined P300,000 and face imprisonment of up to two years and four months.
If hospitals create policies of asking deposits in emergency cases, the people involved will be fined up to P1 million and a prison term of up to six years, with a revocation of the hospital license if this is repeated three times.
“Pinapaalala ko sa lahat na walang katumbas na kita ang buhay ng isang tao. Profit will never trump people’s right to healthcare,” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros issued the statement following reports the Department of Health was probing 77 cases of medical institutions asking for cash deposits before attending to the patient in need of urgent care.
