Report a Hospital That Demanded a Deposit (RA 10932)
Anti-Hospital Deposit Law (RA 10932): a hospital or clinic cannot demand a deposit before basic emergency care, or refuse an emergency/serious case. Report it to the DOH Health Facilities Oversight Board under the HFSRB. Penalties reach ₱1,000,000 and 6 years, plus revocation of the hospital's license after three violations.
Step-by-Step Guide
- 1Get the treatment first. Under Republic Act No. 10932 (the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law, amending RA 8344), it is unlawful for a hospital or clinic to demand a deposit or advance payment as a prerequisite for basic emergency care, or to refuse emergency or serious treatment needed to prevent death or permanent disability (RA 10932 §1). Calmly state that the law prohibits this and ask that the patient be treated or stabilised first.
- 2Document everything at the counter: 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. If care was refused and the patient was transferred, keep the referral/transfer papers.
- 3Raise it with the hospital's own grievance mechanism — the Patient Relations Office or customer-service desk — and ask for a written response. This is your first-line record and is often required before higher review.
- 4File the formal complaint with the DOH Health Facilities Oversight Board under the Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau (HFSRB). RA 10932 §6 provides that complaints for violations of the Act are filed initially with this Board. State the hospital, the staff involved, the date/time, what was demanded or refused, and attach your evidence. You can build a ready-to-send report letter with LabanPH (link below).
- 5You may also alert the DOH through its general public-assistance hotline (1555) and the DOH Action Center for an urgent, on-the-spot situation — but the formal RA 10932 complaint is the one filed with the HFSRB Health Facilities Oversight Board.
- 6Know the penalties you are invoking (RA 10932 §4): staff/practitioners face imprisonment of 6 months and 1 day to 2 years and 4 months, 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 hospital policy revoke the facility's license (revoked by the DOH).
- 7If the patient died, suffered permanent disability, or (for a pregnant woman) lost the unborn child after being denied care, RA 10932 §5 raises a presumption of liability against the hospital and the people involved. Consult a lawyer (or a free PAO lawyer) and pursue civil damages in addition to the DOH complaint.
Official Department of Health portal
https://hfsrb.doh.gov.ph/ ↗Frequently Asked Questions
Can a hospital legally ask for a deposit before treating an emergency?
No. RA 10932 (the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law) makes it unlawful to request, solicit, demand or accept any deposit or advance payment as a prerequisite for basic emergency care, or to refuse to administer emergency or serious treatment needed to prevent death or permanent disability. The hospital may still bill you or arrange a transfer afterward — it just cannot make a deposit a condition of emergency care.
What are the penalties under RA 10932?
Hospital staff and practitioners face imprisonment of 6 months and 1 day up to 2 years and 4 months, or a fine of ₱100,000 to ₱300,000, or both. The director, president or officer responsible for a deposit policy faces 4 to 6 years, or a fine of ₱500,000 to ₱1,000,000, or both. Three repeated violations committed under an established hospital policy result in revocation of the facility's license to operate by the DOH.
Where exactly do I file the complaint?
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). Include the hospital name, the staff involved, the date and time, what was demanded or refused, and your evidence.
Does the law protect pregnant women?
Yes. RA 10932 specifically covers the case of a pregnant woman where a refusal or a demanded deposit results in permanent injury or the loss of her unborn child, or forces a non-institutional delivery. The presumption of liability in §5 also expressly extends to loss of the unborn child.
Can't afford a lawyer?
Free legal help is available in the Philippines — the Public Attorney's Office (PAO), IBP legal aid, law-school clinics, and the DOJ Action Center, organized by region.
Ready to file?
Generate a pre-filled Department of Health complaint letter in under 2 minutes — ready to copy or email.