Verbal agreements with hospital bills

Hi, I hope you can advise me on this topic.

My wife recently gave birth in a private hospital. She had to have a CS operation which we always knew would happen and have been planning for it. We've been visiting the hospital regularly for check-ups always seeing the same doctor. This Doctor told us that for our operation bill we should expect to pay 80k, with a Philhealth deduction it would be 60k. Now, after the operation, they gave us a bill for 160k, minus deductions, it comes to 100k.
They have added many extras to the bill which they did not tell us about. I think this is misleading and feel I shouldn't have to pay for things if they haven't been disclosed to us beforehand.
Please advise as soon as possible as my wife is in the hospital now and they won't let her leave until the bill is paid. I am abroad at the moment so can't be there myself.
Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Were you able to talk to the doctor as to the additional charges imposed by the hospital? As per his advice, ask him if such charges are indeed warranted and justified for your wife's CS operation. Only he and the hospital can duly explain the charges from the hospital bill that led to such a huge amount.

The doctor's estimation of hospital expenses cannot be taken as gospel truth, since the hospitalization of your wife may have incurred additional expenses that the doctor could not have anticipated. The doctor's estimation cannot also bind the hospital in limiting its charges against you since the hospital and the doctor are distinct and separate entities, unless he holds a position in the hospital that will give him authority in giving you a discounted rate (which is unlikely, given the facts of your story). While his estimation may be way off, the diligence in preparation for such expenses still falls under the patients to check if the possible hospital expenses would really fall under said estimated amount, since the doctor cannot be gainsaid to be always an expert in hospital charges and rates.

Hi, thank you for your response. The Doctor is actually the Head of the Department so she has authority there.
I've asked my wife to send me a copy of the bill so I can see what the extra charges are for. I remember several people coming to our room and doing tests and checking her. I'm guessing that this is what they're charging extra for. At no point did they tell us this would cost extra and ask us if it was ok to proceed. I thought it was part of the service.
Can they legally hold her there in the hospital? i want her to go home now so we can look into it more. Thanks again, your help is greatly appreciated.

From my own experience in hospital matters, it is common procedure in any hospital to have the bills settled first before discharge is given. That is the hospital's way of making sure that they get paid for the services that were rendered for your wife. There may be a way for your wife to get discharged without paying the full amount, and that entails you negotiating with the finance department of the hospital to have your wife discharged first and execute a promissory note in favor of the hospital that evidences your bills that you need to pay. That way, your wife can be discharged and you can have the charges perused accordingly, since you are willing to settle the bill in the first place.

Mind you, it is still within the hospital's rights to not discharge your wife yet if the bill has not been settled yet since it is part of common hospital procedure for the bills to be settled first before discharge is given.

You need to authorize someone whom you trust to have this matter attended to, so that you won't stress out too much about your wife's hospitalization while you are out of the country.

PAsENSYA na po kung isingit ko lang po ito.

Both my mom and dad passed away this year.. kami po ng kuya ay ofw kaya po kumuha po kami ng mapgakakatiwalaan para magaskiso ng utang sa manila doctors..ang tao po ito ay kasama namim pumirma sa manila doctors ng promissory notes.. Ang ginamit po naming banko ay banko ng pinagkakatiwalaan naming tao.. pangalan po nya ang nasa check at duon po kami nghuhulog ng pera.. nagkamali po kaming pgkatiwalaan sya, ni-withdraw nya po ang pera at tumalbog ang check n binayad namin sa hospital. pangalan nya ho ang nakalagay sa check at pumirma ho sya sa manila doctors.. may kasulutan po kami na natatngap nya ang pera at ginamit nya sa ibang dahilan ang pera..

ano po ang pwede po naming gawin, dahil po lahat po ng ipon at pera namin ay naihulog nananmin sa banko nya.
1.meron po kami kasulatan na nagbigay kami ng pera sa kanya.
2.ang tumalbog n check na tinanggap ng manila doctors ay nasa pangalan nya at may pinirmahan din ho sya.
3.pumirma po kami ng promissory notes at wala po kaming titulo na binigay sa manila doctors subalit may listahan kami ng ari-arian na pirmado nmin na hawak ng hospital.WALANG KASAMANG TITULO. promissory note lang ho ang pinirmahaan namin na naggsasabi na huhulugan namin ang utang namin at magbabayad ng check na nasa pangala ng taong nanloko samin.

SALAMAT PO!!! AT MABUHAY KAYO