What do I do if a hospital demands a deposit before emergency care?
Last updated: 2026-07-10 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
Insist on treatment first — demanding a deposit before emergency or serious care is prohibited by the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law (RA 10932). Document the demand (the staff member's name and position, the date and time, the amount, and any written quotation or receipt), get the patient treated or immediately transferred, then file a complaint with the DOH Health Facilities Oversight Board under the Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau (HFSRB), which RA 10932 §6 designates to receive these complaints. LabanPH gives you a step-by-step DOH escalation guide and builds a ready-to-send RA 10932 report letter.
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Frequently asked
Where exactly do I report it?
RA 10932 §6 directs that complaints be filed initially with the Health Facilities Oversight Board under the DOH Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau (HFSRB). For an urgent, on-the-spot situation you can also alert the DOH through its general public-assistance hotline (1555) and the DOH Action Center, but the formal RA 10932 complaint is the one filed with the HFSRB Board.
What evidence should I keep?
The name and position of the person who demanded the deposit or refused care, the exact date and time, the amount demanded, and any written demand, quotation, or receipt. Note any witnesses, and keep the referral or transfer papers if the patient was moved to another hospital.
What penalties does the hospital face?
Under RA 10932 §4, staff and practitioners face 6 months and 1 day to 2 years and 4 months in prison, or a ₱100,000–₱300,000 fine, or both; the director/president/officer responsible for a deposit policy faces 4 to 6 years, or a ₱500,000–₱1,000,000 fine, or both; and three repeated violations under an established policy revoke the hospital's license to operate.
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