The Eastern Cape department of health has reaffirmed that no patient will be denied medical attention at public health facilities for failing to pay.
The department emphasised in a statement that healthcare was a constitutional right guaranteed in the constitution. The section says everyone has the right to use healthcare services, including reproductive healthcare, and that no-one may be refused emergency medical treatment.
“No-one has been or will be turned away from a health institution because of nonpayment. Healthcare is a fundamental right of everyone in this country,” the department said.
The department clarified recent concerns regarding hospital fees, explaining that the uniform patient fee schedule (UPFS) had been in place since November 2000.
The policy standardises billing across the public health sector and categorises patients based on their income and funding status to determine the applicable fees.
“All hospitals in the country comply with the UPFS, and its compliance is not peculiar to one hospital in the Eastern Cape,” the department said.
According to the UPFS patients are grouped into four categories:
- H0 – No income; social pensioners (services free except where specified).
- H1 – Individuals earning less than R70,000 a year or households earning less than R100,000.
- H2 – Individuals earning up to R250,000 a year or households up to R350,000 (R55 during office hours and R70 after hours).
- H3 – Patients earning above R250,000 a year (single) or R350,000 a year (household) including those with medical aid.
The department explained that for opening a patient file, a standard registration process required either a cash or card payment.
However, patients with no money will still receive medical treatment.
“A patient must bring cash or a card to open a file and patients without money will still receive care. Opening a file refers to the patient registration process,” the department said.
If a patient who is expected to pay cannot do so immediately, the outstanding amount is recorded as debt against their name.
The department said the practice had existed for years. It said primary healthcare services at clinics were free and TB hospitals did not charge fees unless the patient was on a medical scheme.
Other hospitals charge fees under UPFS, with payments processed either by cash or bank card.
The department said collected funds were handled by the revenue section for banking and each hospital account was linked to the department’s main bank account. The department said it followed up on patient debts through calls, and planned to introduce SMS reminders.
“The issue of payment to open a file is nothing new. It has been happening over the years and the rates are published yearly,” the department said.
“It is a similar approach in terms of indigent people or pensioners who receive government aid because of their status. Our people are not disadvantaged and denied care because of their economic or social status.”
TimesLIVE
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