PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – The Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center (ZDSMC) said it has started implementing the “No Balance Billing (NBB)” policy in consonance with the Universal Health Care program of Malacañang.
Joefe Suzon, provincial administrator, said Wednesday the NBB policy enables the vulnerable sectors, such as the poor and elderly, to pay no more in excess of the PhilHealth coverage when admitted in government hospitals.
Popularly known as “Walang Dagdag Bayad”, the NBB sets a condition that no direct medical expense shall be exacted from the patient for the duration of confinement, which in effect makes treatment and care entirely free.
However, Suzon clarified that the NBB policy does not automatically mean a patient will not have any financial responsibility in the hospital just because it implies “no” or “zero” charges.
“The patient should be enrolled in PhilHealth the moment he is admitted. If there are other charges from the hospital, it will be covered by the health insurance agency. But if he is not a member of PhilHealth yet, he can still avail the point-of-care (POC) enrolment so he can enjoy the NBB benefit,” Suzon said.
Under the POC program, the hospital, upon admission, automatically enrolls the patient, who do not have PhilHealth.
President Rodrigo Duterte officially signed on February 20 the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act into law, which guarantees equitable access to quality and affordable health care services for all Filipinos.
When asked about the economic enterprise implemented in the ZDSMC by the previous administration, Suzon disclosed that the ordinance was not rescinded or scrapped.
“Actually, it was not lifted but instead, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed Resolution No. 026-2019 granting blanket authority to the governor to identify which charges are supposed to be deleted or removed in the billing,” Suzon said.
The provincial administrator said that the Technical Working Committee of the ZDSMC decided to sustain the charges as indicated in the ordinance since it is the basis of the billing charges to be covered by PhilHealth.
“If we’re going to remove the charges and make it ‘zero billing’ then we can’t charge anything to be paid by PhilHealth and our hospital doesn’t have enough income to sustain its operation,” he added.
He said the patient can avail of the indigent fund of the local government units deposited at the ZCSMC in the event there is still an excess in the billing of the patient after deduction made by PhilHealth.
He added the special funds from the offices of the Congresspersons Divina Grace Yu and Leonardo Babasa can be accessed in case payables are still not met.
He said the provincial government also provides financial support to sustain the hospital’s operation.
“It’s a win-win solution. A patient can go out without bills to pay and the hospital can go on with its functions,” he said. (PNA)
Zambo Sur hospital implements ‘no balance billing’ policy
By Leah Agonoy
Share
