THE PHILIPPINE Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) reminds accredited health facilities nationwide to honor the discounts afforded to senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) on their hospital bills prior to discharge.
In a statement dated November 13, PhilHealth president and CEO Emmanuel R. Ledesma, Jr. announced receiving complaints about health facilities failing to deduct the senior citizen’s discounts from their bills.
“We have to give whatever the law mandates. This is our responsibility to our members, and one of them is to ensure that their senior citizen or PWD privileges, whichever is applicable, are properly deducted from their hospital bills”, Ledesma asserted.
PhilHealth also clarifies that the application of the deductions shall be in the following order: 12% VAT exemption, 20% senior citizens or PWD discount, then the PhilHealth benefits. This can be validated by checking the patient’s billing statements.
“Yun pong balanse ang siya na lamang dapat bayaran ng pasyente kung mayroon pa. Kung ang ating senior citizen member ay na-admit naman sa mga pampublikong pasilidad ay wala na silang babayaran dahil sa aming No Balance Billing policy,” Ledesma reiterated.
The said discounts are mandated under RA 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act, and RA 10754 and the Expanded Benefits and Privileges of Persons with Disability Act. However, only one discount shall apply in cases where a patient is elderly and a PWD at the same time.
Health facilities that fail to deduct these privileges may face penalties and sanctions, including fines and even suspension or revocation of accreditation as provided for in their Performance Commitment with PhilHealth.
The state agency also encouraged members and concerned citizens to immediately report instances of non-deduction of these privileges to the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs in their respective local government units, or to the National Council for Disability Affairs.
These can also be reported to PhilHealth Callback Channel 0917-898-7442 or to PhilHealth’s Facebook page @PhilHealthofficial and Twitter@teamphilhealth.
“Igiit natin ang ating karapatan dahil ang mga ito ay itinakda ng mga batas. Kami naman ay nakahandang umaksiyon sakaling may mga ulat kaming matatanggap mula sa ating mga miyembro,” Ledesma stated.
