MANILA, Philippines — House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima has filed House Bill No. 10135, seeking stronger legal protection for patients against hospital detention over unpaid medical bills.
The bill, submitted last July 21, proposes amendments to Republic Act No. 9439 by imposing stiffer penalties on hospitals, medical clinics, and similar health facilities that unlawfully detain patients who cannot settle their hospital expenses.
De Lima said it is "unjust and deplorable" that patients and even their families face restrictions on their freedom because of unpaid medical bills, adding that fear of being detained discourages many Filipinos from seeking medical care.
“To this day, complaints against hospitals on allegations of hospital detention continue to persist,” the lawmaker said.
“Reports indicate that some health care institutions continue to employ practices that effectively prevent patients or their relatives from leaving the hospital or obtaining documents necessary for their discharge, despite the law’s clear prohibition,” she added.
HB 10135 expands the law's coverage by expressly prohibiting the detention not only of patients but also of their relatives, representatives, carers, and newborn children. It also clarifies that unpaid professional fees cannot be used as grounds for detention.
The measure likewise exempts indigent senior citizens from submitting promissory notes if they are endorsed by the hospital's social service office.
To balance the interests of healthcare providers, the bill broadens the acceptable forms of security for unpaid obligations, including deeds of assignment covering benefits from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and Social Security System (SSS) as well as guarantee letters from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), or Department of Health (DOH).
De Lima warned that allowing hospitals to function as "detention centers" for financially struggling patients could push more Filipinos to forgo medical treatment, leading to worsening illnesses. She stressed that healthcare is a right that should be accessible regardless of a person's financial capacity.
A similar measure has also been filed in the 20th Congress by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Akbayan Reps. Dadah Kiram Ismula, Jose Manuel Diokno, Percival Cendaña, and Reps. Kaka Bag-ao and Arlyn Ayon.
