Who will pay Cebu City’s P2M hospital bills?
The Cebu City government owes five private hospitals P2.2 million for accommodating patients who were displaced from the city-owned Cebu City Medical Center after the Oct. 15 earthquake.
Mayor Michael Rama said he wants this charged against the city’s monthly assistance from the state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).
The City Council, however, wants its budget committee headed by Councilor Margot Osmeña to look into matter first.
“It is the responsibility of the Cebu City government to extend assistance to these in-patients whose confinement at the CCMC was disrupted by the natural disaster,” said Councilor Dave
Tumulak, who authored the resolution seeking authority to use Pagcor funds to pay the hospitals.
At least 38 CCMC patients were transferred to other hospitals to avoid disrupting their treatment and medication when the CCMC was declared “unfit for occupancy” following the earthquake in October.
The patients’ admission to the private hospitals was covered by a Letter of Authority (LOA) signed by CCMC chief Dr. Gloria Duterte. The LOA also guaranteed that the city government would pay for the patients’ medical bills.
The hospitals included Chong Hua Hospital, 13 patients; Adventist Hospital, 10; Velez Hospital, 7; Perpetual Succour Hospital, 4; and Cebu Doctors’ Hospital, 4.
The hospitals submitted their claims to City Hall this month through Duterte.
The biggest claim, at P1.1 million, is from Chong Hua Hospital. Other claimants are Cebu Doctors’ Hospital (P436, 617.11), Perpetual Succour Hospital (P419, 986.19), Adventist Hospital Cebu (P142, 843.69) and Velez Hospital (P54, 081.35).
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