Court Orders St. Luke’S Hospital To Present American Patient Unable To Pay,,,gangster Hospitals Part 2

[Call me bubba]

a previous thread discussed

Gangster Hospitals

here is the lastest story about how 1 american is held "hostage"

.......................................................................................................................

MANILA, Philippines — A Quezon City court ordered the Saint Luke’s Medical Center, on Wednesday, to produce before it an American patient,

who has been confined for over three months at the medical facility and has not been discharged because of his unpaid bill of close to P1 million.

Quezon City regional trial court branch 84 Judge Luisito Cortez directed the hospital’s officers who allegedly authorized the “continuing confinement” of American missionary and war veteran Jerry Allan Hanson to produce him in Thursday’s scheduled hearing before the court.

Cortez, in his two-page order, also instructed the respondent to file a comment and show cause why the petition for the issuance of the writ of habeas corpus for Hanson should not be granted.

A petition filed in Hanson’s behalf by his attorney-in-fact Arlene Icasiano described Hanson as a United Gospel of the Living God missionary who has been in the country for five years, helping out young orphans using his own resources.

“Unfortunately he [Hanson] got sick.(no plan b)

He has no relatives in the Philippines to take care of him but Filipino friends brought him to the St. Luke’s Hospital where he [has] undergone a major operation. He was confined on Oct. 3, 2012. He spent the amount of no less than P704,000 in the hospital for his doctors and hospital bills. Mostly his medicines are purchased by him personally,” the petition stated.

Hanson has been ordered discharged by his doctors as early as Dec. 20, 2012, but the formal bill amounted to P800,000.

Hanson, the petition stated, was unprepared for a total bill of P1.5 million. “Since he [Hanson] is presently confined, he has difficulty raising the amount of P800,000 and his bill will continue to rise as his present bills are still not included.”

To pay off the bill, Hanson requested that he be temporarily released so he could obtain a health care refund and financial help from the US Veteran’s Office, which could only be processed if he personally applied for them.

His lawyer wrote St. Luke’s twice asking for Hanson’s discharge, but the hospital refused to grant the request.

“Petitioner [Hanson] verbally appealed and also formally sent a letter addressed to the proper officer of the hospital, requesting it to allow him to go home to minimize the indebtedness as the hospital still charges the petitioner the amount of P 2,000 a day.

But the respondent refused and continually fails and refuses to discharge petitioner,” the petition claimed.

The Dec. 29, 2012, letter Hanson sent to the president of St. Luke’s asked the hospital to allow him to sign a promissory note, so he could get out of the hospital and personally raise the money to pay for the bill.

He had stated in his letter, “Sir, let me reiterate that I am not a bad person; just happened to end up in bad situation for which, if continuously confined here in your hospital, will remain helpless as I am now.”

Apart from ordering St. Luke’s to file its comment or any appropriate pleading in answer to the petition, Cortez ordered Icasiano and Hanson’s counsel Arturo Temanil to appear before the court and substantiate their allegations in the petition.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/345875/court-orders-st-lukes-hospital-to-present-american-patient-unable-to-pay-bills

[JJReyes]

It sounds like Jerry Allan Hanson is being charged "Medical Tourism" prices. A significant part of his bill is probably to pay his doctors who can charge whatever they feel like charging. It is more difficult for a hospital to have a dual pricing system for the use of their facilities. The P2,000 ($50) a day charge for his bed and board is an example. This is reasonable, except Hanson is being treated like a prisoner. Hospitals in the United States now charge over $1,000 per day. That includes food that is oftentimes unedible.

Maybe the judge would be so kind as to share the hospital bills with members of the press. I am curious to find out what is the amount for hospital services and the fees charged by physicians.

[Americano]

Laws have changed in the Philippines. Its now illegal to hold someone in a hospital against their will when they have agreed to pay their bill. The hospital officials should be fined and jailed if they refuse to comply with the laws.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

If not jailed they could at least share the room with Hanson... :tiphat:

Note to self: Get a "Plan B"

[TheMason]

Laws have changed in the Philippines. Its now illegal to hold someone in a hospital against their will when they have agreed to pay their bill. The hospital officials should be fined and jailed if they refuse to comply with the laws.

As I recall, that law only applies to people in the ward. If you are in a private room, it doesn't apply.

[Dave Hounddriver]

I am having difficulty believing this guy is a bona fide missionary or his supporting church would have passed the plate to help him out. Of course anyone can start their own church and be the only missionary for visa and tax purposes (cannot find any verifiable info on Google so I just don't know).

I suppose it is possible that after being here 5 years he had no idea what hospitals cost and that he was expected to pay his way there. But I have been here 5 years and I know. I would have gone to a hospital I could afford, just as my peers have to do. Of course I could go to a hospital that is beyond my means and bs my way through and then call them a gangster hospital when they would not let me leave without paying them, but that would be all smoke and mirrors.

[Call me bubba]

Note to self: Get a "Plan B"

just more of a reason to get/apply for PHILHEALTH. philhealth.gov.ph 2400ph a year (was 1200 til 12/12)

http://www.philhealth.gov.ph/members/individually_paying/member.html altho I cant find on this link, YES you can become a member(obtain the insurance)

[sjp52]

Laws have changed in the Philippines. Its now illegal to hold someone in a hospital against their will when they have agreed to pay their bill. The hospital officials should be fined and jailed if they refuse to comply with the laws.

As I recall, that law only applies to people in the ward. If you are in a private room, it doesn't apply.

I wonder if you have a choice in which room you get sent to. If I was in a bad way I would pick the ward

[Thomas]

I am having difficulty believing this guy is a bona fide missionary or his supporting church would have passed the plate to help him out. Of course anyone can start their own church and be the only missionary for visa and tax purposes (cannot find any verifiable info on Google so I just don't know).

I suppose it is possible that after being here 5 years he had no idea what hospitals cost and that he was expected to pay his way there. But I have been here 5 years and I know. I would have gone to a hospital I could afford, just as my peers have to do. Of course I could go to a hospital that is beyond my means and bs my way through and then call them a gangster hospital when they would not let me leave without paying them, but that would be all smoke and mirrors.

Well. Not suprising if he did't know at all. I have noticed some religious fanatics lives in their own "buble" don't have much clue of the real life outside, not even in their home country :)

[Call me bubba]

here is the latest news on the american"held hostage" at st lukes in QC

seems that the judge will give him a hearing regarding his hospital stay

 

 

QC court orders hospital to produce US veteran it holds over unpaid bil

 

A Quezon City hospital has been ordered by a local trial court judge to
produce today (Thursday) an American veteran it reportedly has held over
unpaid medical bills close to P1 million since October 2012.

In a
two-page order, Judge Luisito Cortez of the QC Regional Trial Court’s
Branch 84

directed Dr. Eduardo Cortez, president of the St. Luke’s
Medical Center, or any of the hospital officers, to bring in court Jerry
Allan Hanson at 9:30 a.m.
Cortez also directed the hospital
management to file a comment to show cause why the court must not grant
Hanson’s petition to leave the hospital so he could produce money and
settle his unpaid hospital bill of P987,897.66.
Assisted by his
lawyers — Arturo Temanil and Arlene Icasiano —

Hanson, a retired soldier
and missionary of the United Gospel of the Living God and a resident of
Tanay, Rizal, filed a writ of habeas corpus before the QC court.

 

The
American veteran has complained about the hospital’s refusal to
discharge him “until and unless the remaining balance of hospital bills
amounting to P987,897.66 be paid in full.”

 

Based on court records, he
said he was able to pay P704,000 for a major operation on Oct. 3 at St.
Luke’s for his doctors, medical bills and medicine, adding he was
ordered discharged as early as Dec. 20 from confinement.

Hanson told
the court the hospital refused to release him due to a remaining P1
million unpaid bill, and that his continuing confinement has further
caused him additional charges  of P2,000 per day.

He claimed he has been helping millions of Filipinos, mostly orphans, spending his own money and resources.
He
urged the judge to allow him to go out of St. Luke’s so he could
personally apply for hospital bill refund with the United States of
America’s veteran office, and also seek assistance from friends.

Hanson has promised to execute a promissory note while raising the amount for his unpaid bills.  

 

http://www.tribune.net.ph/metro-section/item/9559-qc-court-orders-hospital-to-produce-us-veteran-it-holds-over-unpaid-bills