HOSPITAL bills of patients with coronavirus disease (Covid-19) admitted at Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) for treatment soared to P25 million as of April 21.
SPMC Finance Officer Barbara Cezar told VoxPop Davao on Thursday, April 23, that the data is from April 1 to April 21.
The amount was the total bill of 148 admitted patients, including the persons under monitoring (PUM), patients under investigation (PUIs), and positive cases.
The highest hospital bill reached P619,000 for a 21-day admission.
Cezar added that the patient was confined in the internal care unit (ICU) and recovered from the disease.
She added that the bill reached such an amount due to the consumed personal protective device (PPE).
"PPE ang dako ug gasto. Disposable siya and dili pwede mag cross between patients aron likayan magtakod (PPE are the most expensive because the health worker has to change more often to prevent cross-contamination)," she said.
Cezar also said that all the hospital bills were all covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth).
Earlier, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said since the Covid-19 pandemic is a public health emergency, it is the role of the government to take the lead in the crisis.
Hence, the need to utilize public hospitals in these situations and also the reason why SPMC will be allowed to cater to Covid-19 patients and those suspected of it.
SPMC, a state-run hospital, is the only facility in Davao City identified as the Covid-19 referral center.
Duterte-Carpio earlier warned Dabawenyos that the City Government will not shoulder the medical expenses of Covid-19 patients if they are found to have acquired the infection after violating the protocols under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
This developed after she observed that there are still private vehicles roaming around the city while the ECQ is in effect.
She added that while the patients can avail themselves of Philhealth, no assistance will be extended to them if their hospital bills exceed the Philhealth coverage once the contact tracing will prove it.
