• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Deputy Speaker and Bacolod Lone District Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez is calling for strong checks and balances in the proposed Zero Balance Billing initiative to ensure government assistance reaches patients properly while preventing misuse of public funds.
Benitez met with representatives of seven major hospitals in Bacolod City on Friday, Sept. 11, to discuss the proposal. The hospitals included Dr. Pablo O. Torre Sr. Memorial Hospital, Doctors’ Hospital, Bacolod South General Hospital, Metro Bacolod, Queen of Mercy, Bacolod Adventist Medical Center, and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.
He said the system should establish standardized and transparent rules on hospital billing and professional fees, while providing a mechanism to monitor how government aid is applied to patients’ medical expenses.
Safeguards are needed, he stressed, to ensure funds are properly accounted for and that patients and hospitals are protected from misuse or unfounded allegations.
“Our discussion focused on ensuring that patients receive the quality and necessary care they need without being overcharged, while establishing a standardized and transparent system for hospital billing and professional fees, as well as monitoring the coverage of government assistance,” Benitez said.
He added that clear responsibilities must be set among government agencies, hospitals, and patients under the proposed system.
The ultimate goal, he said, is to allow patients to focus on recovery instead of worrying about mounting hospital bills. | GPB
