Senior citizen overcharged by hospital for minor suture

SAN PEDRO CITY — A Batangas City senior citizen is seeking help after he was charged more than P200,000 for an overnight stay for suture at a hospital in the city.

Eduardo Borja, through his son Edmer, on Jan. 1 wrote the Senior Citizen’s party-list group to complain against St. Patrick’s Hospital Medical Center, owned by relatives of former Justice Secretary Hernando Perez.

The Inquirer made repeated calls to the hospital and sent e-mails for reaction but these were unanswered.

In August 2016, Eduardo, now 74, was confined overnight at a non-airconditioned ward for minor suture.

The hospital billed him P201,502 (P30,068 as hospital charges and P171,434 as professional fee of three doctors).

Eduardo paid P136,961 after benefits from Philippine Health Insurance Corp. had been deducted.

‘Unreasonable’

But Eduardo’s family said they still found the bill “unreasonable and exorbitant.”

Edmer’s letter to Senior Citizen said it turned out the billing statement from the hospital had not given senior citizen discount to Eduardo.

Under Republic Act No. 9994 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010), senior citizens were entitled to 20 percent discounts and exemption from 12 percent value added tax for medical services and doctors’ fees.

A copy of a sworn statement by Rosalina Castillo, the hospital’s accounting chief, said Eduardo “overpaid P85,908.”

In July 2017, Associate Batangas City Prosecutor Lilibeth Javillo-Aguila found probable cause to recommend charges against hospital officials.

But her resolution was “reversed and set aside” by Ernesto Mendoza, Department of Justice regional prosecutor, in November.