UTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
QE THE PH-EZIPPINES . 
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First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Ralph G. Recto 
Explanatory Note 
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Section 15, Article I1 of the Constitution specifies' the policy of the State to protect 
and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. 
However, it has been common practice for hospitals and medical practitioners to 
detain patients because of their inability to settle their hospital bills and medical expenses. 
Needless to say, this inhumane practice causes the patients and their families prolonged 
agony and more expenses. 
Prohibiting the release of patients who have recovered and keeping the remains of 
dead patients in hospitals or medical c h c s  because their families could not settle the 
medical expenses constitute a deprivation of liberty on the grounds of financial incapacity. 
It is in this light that this measure, which prohibits the detention of recovered or 
dead patients in hospitals and medical clinics for non-payment of hospital biUs or medical 
expenses, is introduced. 
Under the bill, patients who have fully or partially recovered and who wish to leave 
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the hospital or medical clinic, but are financially incapable of fully or partially settling their 
hospitalization expenses, including professional fees and medicines, shall be allowed to leave 
upon the execution of a promissory note covering the unpaid obligation. Such promissory 
note shall be secured by either a mortgage or by a guarantee of a co-maker, who will be 
jointly and severally liable with the patient for the unpaid oblgation. 
This bill also stipulates that patients, who wish to leave the hospital or medical clinics 
where they were confined, shall also have the right to demand the issuance of a medical 
certificate and other pertinent papers required for such release. 
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In the case of deceased patients, the bill provides that the corresponding death 
certificate and other documents pertinent to the interment shall be released to their surviving 
relatives. 
In odler to preserve every person's right to receive adequate and competent medical 
attention without discrimination, approval of this measme is earnestly sought. 


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WTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Ralph G. Recto 
AN ACT 
PROHIBITING THE DETENTION OF LIVE OR DEAD PATIENTS IN 
HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL CLINICS O N  GROUNDS OF NONPAYMENT OF 
HOSPITAL BILLS OR MEDICAL EXPENSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House ofRepresentatives of the Phil@pines in Congress 
assembled 
SECTION 1. It shall be unlawful for any hospital or medical clinic in the country to 
detain or to otherwise cause, directly or indirectly, the detention of patients who have fully 
or partially recovered or have been adequately attended to or who may have died, for 
reasons of non-payment in part or in f d ,  of hospital bills or medical expenses. 
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SEC. 2. Patients who have fully or partially recovered and who already wish to leave 
the hospital or medical clinic but are financially incapable to settle, in part or in full, their 
hospitalization expenses, including professional fees and medicines, shall be allowed to leave 
the hospital or medical c h c ,  with a right to demand the issuance of the corresponhg 
medical certificate and other pertinent papers required for the release of the patient from the 
hospital or medical c h i c  upon the execution of a promissory note covering the unpaid 
obligation. The promissory note shall be secured by either a mortgage or by a guarantee of 
a co-maker, who will be jointly and severally liable with the patient for the unpaid obligation. 
In the case of a deceased patient, the corresponding death certificate and other documents 
requiiedT6r intermencarid other purposes shall be released to any of his surviving relatives 
requesting for the same. 
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SEC. 3. Any officer or employee of the hospital or medical clinic responsible for 
releasing patients, who violates the provisions of h s  act shall be punished by'a fine of not 
less than Five thousand pesos (I?S;OOO.OO) but not more than Fifteen thousand pesos 
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(Pl5,OOO.OO) or imprisonment of not less than one (1) month hut not more than six (6) 
months, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the proper court. 
SEC. 4. 
The Department of Health shall promulgate the necessary rules and 
regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 5. 
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any provision of th~s Act is declared void and unconstitutional, the 
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remaining provisions thereof not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect. 
SEC. 6. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent 
with h s  Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
SEC. 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2) 
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national newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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