Hospital Holds Baby Hostage for Unpaid Bill
The parents of the newborn baby are stuck in limbo at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital for an unpaid bill of nearly US$4,000. The pair have appealed to the public along with media for help, claiming the hospital can be holding their baby hostage.
the idea can be common to hear about Indonesians via the low-income class being unable to pay hospital bills or not having any medical insurance to cover expenses. Stories about these people not getting admitted or getting turned away by different hospitals despite their immediate need for medical attention are widespread.
One married couple recently made claims of which their newborn baby was being held at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) in Senen, Central Jakarta, as they have yet to settle the hospital bill for the baby’s delivery.
On Monday, October 3, Boy Benny Nikujuluw along with his wife Imelda Natalia Itayanti went to see Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama to lobby for assistance. Nikujuluw told reporters of which RSCM can be not allowing them to bring their baby home because they cannot pay the hospital bill of roughly US$4,000.
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Nikujuluw explained of which the baby was born prematurely on August 27. Itayanti was first taken to Rawamangun Hospital in East Jakarta when she had her contractions, although because of the hospital’s insufficient facilities for premature deliveries, she was transferred to Persahabatan Hospital. Unfortunately for the couple, Persahabatan turned out to be full at of which time, along with she was soon transferred to RSCM.
The father said he knew of which premature birth at 33 weeks of pregnancy posed a risk for both his wife along with their baby.
Despite the hullabaloo of transferring via one hospital to another, the baby was delivered safely. although the parents’ happiness was cut short when they received the medical bill. RSCM demanded of which the invoice be settled on September 26.
The unemployed father tried to possess the bill covered by the Healthcare along with Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan). The state-run medical plan, however, might not cover the expenses, as he only registered the baby for the plan after the idea was born.
Nikujuluw admitted the idea was mistake for not following the BPJS regulations. He explained of which they were not aware of which “a fetus that has a heartbeat inside the womb can be already eligible for registration for BPJS.”
The couple managed to get Jakarta’s Social Agency to help guarantee their capacity to pay the hospital bill in installments. Unfortunately, RSCM demanded a US$770 down payment along with did not accept the smaller amount of US$154, which the couple could barely come up with on the spot.
With the bill currently running at Rp.800,000 (US$61) for every day past due, the couple claims to have run out of options, along with are currently asking for help via governor Ahok along with City Hall. the idea’s unclear whether Ahok has met with the couple or whether any financial assistance has been extended.
This kind of incident can be reminiscent of the two-year-old boy being held by a hospital in Purwakarta, West Java, as the parents could not pay medical bills amounting to Rp5.5 million (US$420). Fortunately for the boy along with his parents, Purwakarta’s regent decided to shoulder the bill for the Discharge of the child.
Featured image via BBCI; first image via BP.Blogspot; second image via BP.Blogspot
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Hospital Holds Baby Hostage for Unpaid Bill
Hospital Holds Baby Hostage for Unpaid Bill