Iloilo hospital 'user's fee' probe on
Formal committee hearing on the user's fee imposed in all Iloilo District Hospitals will begin Wednesday. Such, as preliminary talks concluded with top office chiefs in the Capitol, Philhealth officials, chiefs of hospitals and the Capitol clinic.
Expected to appear are the same personalities with the committee hearing set before First District Board Member Macario Napulan, chair of the Committee on Health.
The investigation stemmed from Napulan's privilege speech that primarily decried the controversial user's fee in district hospitals of the province.
"Bawal magkasakit," went Napulan's privilege speech that was later echoed by a similar concern raised by Vice Governor Rolex Suplico.
This, as Napulan decried the standard P200 fee required of all patients in district hospitals and even in the Iloilo Provincial Capitol Clinic. Said fee formed part of the amendments as per passage of Provincial Ordinance No. 2005-061.
"To start with, the term "user's simply means confinement fee or accommodation, specifically, accommodation or confinement fee in the service ward of a district hospital and is available only to service patients," Napulan's speech went. "User's fee" does not include the charges for laboratory, dental and other hospital services, neither does it include the confinement fee of pay patients. It cannot be denied that the popular adage "Bawal magkasakit" rings true in our present time."
Napulan further decried what he said was the "prohibitive cost of hospitalization prevents many Ilonggos from seeking relief from the pain and sickness they endure."
"Nevertheless, the issue of the "user's fee" is but the tip of the iceberg – lest we forget, also included in the amended ordinance are charges for dental services, radiology, serology and even professional fees," he added.
Napulan further called for a check on the manner of handling the cases of indigents particularly on the decisions made by social workers in the various district hospitals.
As such, a proposal was made to further study and conduct an investigation if the need is certain to eliminate what he said was the "controversial user's fee."
"The importance of the social workers and their role in the giving of health assistance to the poor should also be made a subject of an inquiry. Such other matters discovered or raised during the investigation which would help improve the delivery of health services to the people this province should also be explored," Napulan ended.