Zambosur administrator reacquaints public on ‘No Balance Billing’ policy

Click the link below to read related article….. https://frontlinemindanaobalita.blogspot.com/2019/08/provincial-administrator-sa-lalawigan.html

PAGADIAN CITY (Aug. 6, 2019) – Provincial Administrator Joefe Suzon reinforms the public on the “No Balance Billing” policy adopted by the Zamboanga del Sur Medical Center in consonance with the universal health care program.

The No Balance Billing (NBB) policy enables the vulnerable sectors of the program such as the poor and the elderly to pay no more in excess of their PhilHealth coverage when confined in government facilities.

Popularly known as “Walang Dagdag Bayad”, the NBB sets as a condition that no direct medical expense shall be exacted from the patient for the duration of the confinement, which in effect makes treatment and care entirely free for the beneficiaries.

In an exclusive interview, Suzon clarified that the NBB policy does not automatically mean a patient will not have any financial responsibilities 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 enrolment so he can enjoy the NBB benefit, the administrator explained.

In the Point-Of-Care (POC) Enrolment Program, if the patient comes to the hospital and they don’t have PhilHealth, they are enrolled automatically by the hospital itself.

When asked about the so-called economic enterprise implemented in the medical center by previous administration, Suzon disclosed that the ordinance was not abolished.

“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 administrator continued that during a session, the Technical Working Committee of the ZDSMC decided to sustain the charges as reflected 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 the enough income to sustain its operation,” he added. 

Suson said that in the event there’s an excess of a patient’s bill after being deducted by PhilHealth, he can avail the indigency fund deposited by the local government units at the medical center.

He added that a special fund from the office of Congw. Divina Grace Yu and Cong. Leonardo Babasa can also be accessed in case the payables are still not met.

The governor’s office also has its own financial share to prop up the needed assistance and thereby 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.

In the end, Suzon emphasized that when it comes to providing health care, the provincial government vowed to fairly serve its constituents without political considerations.(With press release and photo from ZSPPB)