COA: Patients owe Heart Center P628M

The Commission on Audit (COA) has urged the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) to demand P627.65 million in unpaid charges owed by its patients, 28 percent of which could no longer be recovered because they have remained outstanding for a decade already.

In its 2017 annual audit report, the COA recommended that PHC management “send demand letters to recover the outstanding receivables.”

It noted that P172.94 million of PHC’s receivables had remained in the books for more than 10 years. This amount might not be recovered anymore “since legal remedies for their recovery had prescribed under existing laws.”

‘Nil chance of recovery’

The COA suggested that PHC submit a request to write off the dormant accounts which had been “determined to have a nil chance of recovery.” PHC management already told auditors that it would do so.

Promissory notes accounted for the bulk of the unpaid amounts, totaling P335.2 million as of December 2017, of which P85.08 million had been outstanding for more than 10 years now.

“Cosponsored” plans accounted for P166.87 million of the receivables, P27.54 million of which was older than 10 years.

Expired accounts with no promissory notes totaled P77.24 million, P51.4 million of which went unpaid for more than 10 years.

Absconded patients accounted for P5.02 million, P3.59 million of which was from more than 10 years ago.

Accounts receivable also included P22.69 million from undischarged patients, P4.48 million from discharged patients, P2.08 million from various senators and congressmen who were supposed to foot the patients’ bills, and P14.07 million marked as “others.”