A PARTY-LIST lawmaker has sought a House investigation into a Valenzuela City hospital’s alleged illegal detention of family members of patients who have yet to settle their medical bills.
Rep. Wilbert Lee (PL, Agri) filed House Resolution No. 1674 after the reported complaints against ACE (Allied Care Experts) Medical Center, which allegedly held in detention the relatives of deceased patients and refused to provide death certificates and other medical documents because of unsettled hospital bills.
“People go to hospitals to seek treatment, not to detain patients and their families,” he said in Filipino.
In his resolution, Lee noted the harrowing experiences of what he called ACE Medical Center’s “palit-ulo” scheme victims, like Richel Mae Alvaro who was barred from leaving the hospital premises due to her husband’s unsettled bill of P518,519.
Alvaro, whose husband died on February 14, was detained even after the remains of her husband were already taken out of the hospital. Richel has said she was asked to provide a social case study but the hospital demanded that another relative replace her.
Lee also cited the cases of Lovery Magtangob, who was allegedly asked to stay at the Office of Safety Officer while waiting for her brother to settle the bill of her sister-in-law, who also died at the hospital.
Magtangob said she was released only after giving a partial payment of their unsettled bill.
Charges of serious illegal detention and slight illegal detention were already filed by the victims against ACE Medical Center, according to Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian.
Lee pointed out that having unsettled hospital bills is not a criminal offense under the law “and the same is also not an ailment requiring compulsory confinement of the patient in a hospital.”
He said HR No. 1674 seeks to identify any loopholes in policies regarding the rights of patients, their relatives, and visitors, and the rights of hospitals and medical clinics over unsettled bills of patients and ensure that those who are involved will be held accountable.
He said the “palit-ulo” scheme “is proof that there is an alarming gap and perennial problems in our healthcare system that needs to be addressed with appropriate measures.”
