Republic of the Philippines

House of Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No._'7082

Introduced by REP. RODEL M. BATOCABE, REP. ALFREDO A. GARBIN, Jr.,
REP. CHRISTOPHER S. CO

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR UNIFORM FEES OF SERVICE PROVIDERS OF GOVERNMENT
HOSPITALS:

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to regulate the fees and charges being collected by government hospitals for
laboratory tests and other procedures such as CT Scan, ECG, Dialysis, and MRI among others.

It is the State’s policy to make health services available to all people at affordable cost.
This includes access to affordable laboratory and other testing procedures for diagnosis and
treatment of patients.

In reality, current fees paid by patients for laboratory, radiology, and other services are not
uniform and often expensive. Many government hospitals do not have their own medical apparatus
and equipment to conduct laboratory tests and other diagnostic procedures. Instead, they engage
the services of private contractors or service providers to provide these services in their hospitals.

Expensive laboratory and radiology fees add to the already burdensome cost of
hospitalization, professional fees and medicines. Even with the existing comprehensive healthcare
system, majority of our poor Filipinos who barely have enough money for medicines are forced to
scrounge funds for laboratory and other imaging tests or examinations. This situation leaves many
poor Filipinos no choice but forego these diagnostic exams, which is even more detrimental to
their health.

This legislative measure hopes to remedy this situation by regulating such fees and charges

to provide a standardized and uniform rate of fees and charges. This measure will relieve some
portion of the treatment and hospitalization cost for a more affordable health service.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sou:

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IDELMM. OCABE . CHRISTQPHER S. CO


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No,_7082

Introduced by REP. RODEL M. BATOCABE, REP. ALFREDO A. GARBIN, Jr.,
REP. CHRISTOPHER S. CO

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR UNIFORM FEES OF SERVICE PROVIDERS OF GOVERNMENT
HOSPITALS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress

assembled:

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy —It is hereby declared the policy of the State to improve the
quality and delivery of health care services to the Filipino people through the establishment of
uniform rate of fees for laboratory and other diagnostic tests for patients.

SECTION 2. The Department of Health (DOH) is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to
prescribe a standard rate for services provided by duly licensed health care providers who enter
into contracts with government hospitals, for the maintenance and operation of facilities diagnosis,
treatment, and care of individuals suffering from illness, disease, injury, disability, or deformity.

SECTION 3. The Department of Health shall develop standards for government hospital contracts
with health care service providers. These standards shall be based on:

a. Minimum cost of diagnostic and laboratory facility and equipment;

b. Return on Investment of the health care service provider;

©. Geographical location of the hospital
SECTION 4. Any provisions of existing laws to the contrary notwithstanding, every government
hospital shall provide a standardized rate of fees for laboratory examinations, imaging studies, and
treatment procedures. Government hospitals are mandated to post a schedule of fees for these

services in conspicuous places in their premises.


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SECTION 5. Any government hospital or clinic, its director, manager or any other officer who
violates Section 4 of this Act shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred thousand

pesos (Php100,000.00).

SECTION 6. Separability Clause ~ Should any provision of this Act be declared unconstitutional,

the remainder thereof not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations - The Department of Health shall formulate
the implementing rules and regulations of this Act within sixty (60) days after its effectivity. Such
rules and regulations shall take effect fifteen (15) days after their publication in a newspaper of

general circulation in the Philippines,
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. — All other existing laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
proclamations or administrative regulations that are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act

are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following the completion of

its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,