Law Summary
Patient Rights and Financial Arrangements
- Patients who have recovered and are financially incapable of settling their hospital bills, including professional fees and medicines, may leave the hospital or clinic.
- Patients have the right to demand the issuance of medical certificates and other relevant documents upon leaving.
- They must execute a promissory note covering any unpaid obligations.
- The promissory note must be secured either by:
- A mortgage, or
- A co-maker guarantee, with the co-maker jointly and severally liable.
- In the case of deceased patients, death certificates and other necessary documents for interment are to be released to surviving relatives upon request.
- Patients admitted to private rooms are excluded from these provisions.
Penalties for Violations
- Hospital officers or employees responsible for releasing patients who violate this law face penalties.
- Punishments include:
- A fine ranging from P20,000 to P50,000,
- Imprisonment from one to six months, or
- Both fine and imprisonment, at the court's discretion.
Implementation and Regulatory Authority
- The Department of Health (DOH) is tasked with creating rules and regulations to enforce the law's provisions.
Severability Clause
- If any part of the law is declared unconstitutional or void, other provisions remain effective.
Repealing Clause
- Laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations inconsistent with this Act are repealed or amended accordingly.
Effectivity
- The law takes effect 15 days after its publication in two national newspapers of general circulation.