[greenstreak1946]

I know 2 cases myself from an expat friend that was admitted to a privately owned hospital in Davao. He was rush there and before they would admit him his wife had to pay the deposit required first. Then after the doctors saw him they prescribed medication and before they would give it to him his wife had to go to the hospital pharmacy and pay for it first. Then before he could be released the balance had to be paid. THIS IS BEING HELP HOSTAGE OVER A BILL PAYMENT!!! How on earth can they continue to get by with this in the Philippines? Why haven't a lawyer taken this up and sued the hospitals?

If she hadn't had the money for the medication would they have let him lay there and die?

Will the government run hospitals do the same thing as the privately owned ones will do?

art

 

[Ram1957]

While this has happen in the past. Current law makes it a crime to require any deposits to be paid to be admitted to a hospital.

Duterte signs bill on medical centers, practitioners refusing to treat patients | News | GMA News Online

 

[greenstreak1946]

Hey Ram,

Does this law pertain to government hospitals and private ones to? He signed into law about deposit. What about holding a person hostage until the bill is paid?



art

 

[Ram1957]

From what I have read it applies to all hospitals both private and public.

 

[greenstreak1946]

I experienced the hospital problem first hand with my GF in Quezon city 4 months ago. She had fluid on her lungs and they said it was an emergency to drain her lungs. I had to pay the deposit before they would admit her. Then I had to pay the doctor's fee before he would do the procedure to drain her lungs. Then I had to pay the final bill before they would release her. To me she was being held as a hostage until the bill is paid in full.

I ask her about the doctor's fee and she said it had to be paid or he won't do the procedure. So, that meant they would let her die if I hadn't paid the fee up front!!!

art

 

[Ram1957]

I experienced the hospital problem first hand with my GF in Quezon city 4 months ago. She had fluid on her lungs and they said it was an emergency to drain her lungs. I had to pay the deposit before they would admit her. Then I had to pay the doctor's fee before he would do the procedure to drain her lungs. Then I had to pay the final bill before they would release her. To me she was being held as a hostage until the bill is paid in full.

I ask her about the doctor's fee and she said it had to be paid or he won't do the procedure. So, that meant they would let her die if I hadn't paid the fee up front!!!

art

According to the Bill that DU30 signed on Aug 4, 2017 this shouldn't happen again and if it does the public has actions they can take with the DOH.

 

[fmartin_gila]

All this has been standard practice here in the past. Not sure how it will affect treatment in the future. I have had to go to a Pharmacy down the street (actually about 5 Kms distance) to get prescribed meds for my Asawa when she was hospitalized because the Hospital Pharmacy was out of stock. They were good enough to do some calling around to locate who had some so I could go there. One has to keep in mind that this is a different country and they don't play by the same rules we are used to.

Fred

 

[greenstreak1946]

Hey Fmartin,

I totally agree the Philippines is a much different country then the USA but it is time they get with the modern ways. Holding someone hostage over a bill is from the dark ages. I know that has always been their way of doing things. The doctor would not perform the lung drainage of fluid on my GF's lungs until I paid the fee first. They even said it was an emergency to get the fluid off of her lungs. So, if I hadn't come up with the money to pay in advance they would have just let her die. that is not acceptable in these modern times.

art

 

[expatuk2016]

We had this with the late mother although we never had to pay any deposit.
Luckily we had Philhealth ! But yes we had to pay for medication
before it would be dispensed, the thing that annoyed us most was
the mother was prescribed with a certain brand of milk food which cost 7000php a bag
And at 3 times a week ! And like the mothers blood we had to go to santa cruz to buy it
I cut my finger just after we arrived here in 2011 the wife insisted i went to the hospital
And when it was my turn , it turned out i would need this injection that injection
a overnight stay and in the morning a X-Ray !
I said to the wife its only a cut !and i said a plaster and savlon will do fine!
Went back home washed it again put some alcohol on it dried it then savlon
And then a plaster 3 days it was almost healed.
Us whiteys seem like banks.

 

[greenstreak1946]

Hey expatuk2016,

How was the Philhealth? I am thinking about getting it this time there. Is it really worth getting?

Appreciate some info.

art

 

[fmartin_gila]

Hey Fmartin,

I totally agree the Philippines is a much different country then the USA but it is time they get with the modern ways. Holding someone hostage over a bill is from the dark ages. I know that has always been their way of doing things.
art

The USA used to be that way too, don't know the timeframe of when it became civilized. We were very poor when I was a youngster. My tonsils had to be removed when I was 7 years old in 1946 and I was not allowed out of the hospital until my parents scraped up the $100 for the bill, as I remember I had to stay 2 extra days which they also had to pay for before I could be released.

Fred

 

[fmartin_gila]

Hey expatuk2016,

How was the Philhealth? I am thinking about getting it this time there. Is it really worth getting?

Appreciate some info.

art

Art, There have been some discussions in the past about PhilHealth - not sure as to go about searching for them though. In our case, we are both old so we get PhilHealth and we pay no premium as she is a "Senior Citizen" and I am listed as her dependent. In her three cases of hospital confinement the total bill was reduced about 60% and I was confined last year for dehydration for 4 days and my bill was reduced about 40 % so to us it is well worth the trouble not to mention no cost to us.

Fred

 

[Gary D]

Art, There have been some discussions in the past about PhilHealth - not sure as to go about searching for them though. In our case, we are both old so we get PhilHealth and we pay no premium as she is a "Senior Citizen" and I am listed as her dependent. In her three cases of hospital confinement the total bill was reduced about 60% and I was confined last year for dehydration for 4 days and my bill was reduced about 40 % so to us it is well worth the trouble not to mention no cost to us.

Fred

Of course under the new rules you will both need to have seperate accounts as a foreigner. Also does the senior not apply to foreigners so double whammy

 

[magsasaja]

Of course under the new rules you will both need to have seperate accounts as a foreigner. Also does the senior not apply to foreigners so double whammy

Yes the new rule change came into force on July 1st.

https://www.philhealth.gov.ph/circulars/2017/circ2017-0003.pdf

 

[fmartin_gila]

Looks like we may have to do some changes in our setup. We had not been aware of this before now. I guess like most things here, you find out about it while you are doing it.

Fred

 

[fmartin_gila]

Of course under the new rules you will both need to have seperate accounts as a foreigner. Also does the senior not apply to foreigners so double whammy

That is why there is approx 20% difference in the reduction of each of our bills. She gets the 'senior discount' and I don't, then the PhilHealth reduces from that point.

Fred

 

[Asian Spirit]

My wife works a full time job and has Philhealth. She has me on her policy as a beneficiary. The times I have been in the hospital, her policy takes care of me and I automatically am given the senior discount. When admitted to hospital they know my age and wife photo copies my drivers license thus the discount is given. Who am I to complain?

 

[magsasaja]

My wife works a full time job and has Philhealth. She has me on her policy as a beneficiary. The times I have been in the hospital, her policy takes care of me and I automatically am given the senior discount. When admitted to hospital they know my age and wife photo copies my drivers license thus the discount is given. Who am I to complain?

That was under the old rules. Foreigners are no longer covered as dependents by their Filipino spouse.
The new fees are 15,000 per year for SSRV holders and 17,000 for other foreign citizens working and residing in the Philippines.

If you look at the link i posted it explains everything in more detail.

 

[Datchworth]

The new arrangements set out in magsasaja's link greatly change the calculation on Philhealth. Before it was mainly either a low cost insurance giving limited benefit for those of us here on small pensions, or the only insurance for those with existing conditions who would be turned away by private insurers. In my case I viewed it as a fall back in that previously I could qualify, for free, under my Senior Citizen's wife's cover, if ever I developed existing conditions not then covered under my private policy.

Now the premium is P15-17k pa and, importantly, Z package benefits are not included. These are the very conditions which can be most expensive to treat ,and especially for Seniors, more likely to be an issue. Connect that with the small benefits...40% has been quoted in this thread, but the fact is you can never be sure what percentage you are going to get. You only find out when you claim. In my experience in a couple of areas of medicine it can range from almost 100%, exceptionally, but down to 20 or 30% more usually. Contrast that with private insurance which usually pays 90 - 100%, though they do restrict how much you can claim by placing limits.

So the Philhealth premium raise makes it about half the cost of a private premium for younger foreigners and around a third of private premiums for older. Given the Z package restriction and its low/uncertain benefits I don't think it is worth it if you can afford private cover. Unless you live on into your 80s here, because then private cover does get much more expensive.

No point either having it alongside private cover as if you claim privately they will deduct the amount of any Philhealth claim you tell them about.

 

[fmartin_gila]

The new arrangements set out in magsasaja's link greatly change the calculation on Philhealth. Before it was mainly either a low cost insurance giving limited benefit for those of us here on small pensions, or the only insurance for those with existing conditions who would be turned away by private insurers. In my case I viewed it as a fall back in that previously I could qualify, for free, under my Senior Citizen's wife's cover, if ever I developed existing conditions not then covered under my private policy.

Now the premium is P15-17k pa and, importantly, Z package benefits are not included. These are the very conditions which can be most expensive to treat ,and especially for Seniors, more likely to be an issue. Connect that with the small benefits...40% has been quoted in this thread, but the fact is you can never be sure what percentage you are going to get. You only find out when you claim. In my experience in a couple of areas of medicine it can range from almost 100%, exceptionally, but down to 20 or 30% more usually. Contrast that with private insurance which usually pays 90 - 100%, though they do restrict how much you can claim by placing limits.

So the Philhealth premium raise makes it about half the cost of a private premium for younger foreigners and around a third of private premiums for older. Given the Z package restriction and its low/uncertain benefits I don't think it is worth it if you can afford private cover. Unless you live on into your 80s here, because then private cover does get much more expensive.

No point either having it alongside private cover as if you claim privately they will deduct the amount of any Philhealth claim you tell them about.

Good analysis. As I am nearing 80, it is a critical thinking point.

Fred