Saturday, 4th July 2009

Hospital fees

With reference to the news item Medical Council Fines Frank Portelli €10,000, which appeared yesterday, it must be clarified that the case mentioned in the last two paragraphs, regarding a British tourist whose insurance firm declined to cover her hospital fees, did not concern the fees charged by Prof. Buhagiar. The bill of Lm674.6 for a 36-hour stay was a bill issued by St Philip's Hospital. Prof. Buhagiar had nothing to do with this bill.

The error is regretted.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 22, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

Frank Portelli 2BFRANK (on 8/7/09)

http://doi.gov.mt/en/commentaries/2002/04/naz13.asp

Frank Portelli

Emanuel Farrugia (on 4/7/09)

@ Charles Taliana, I am sure that Dr. Frank Portelli does not need your advice to appeal from the decision of the Medical Council, but from your post, one fails to understand on what grounds.
We are waiting for you to give us the details requested by Mr. Leo Said in his post, because I believe it will be useful information for Maltese and Gozitan consumers to know, especially for those who travel to EU countries. I thank you in anticipation.

Leo Said (on 4/7/09)

@ Charles Taliana

In the comment, which you offered yesterday, you mentioned that you had worked in the German system.

Could you kindly inform readers about the remuneration, which is asked for by hospitals in Germany?

Who drafts, and publishes, "The International Charges Rates for Medical and Surgical hospital admissions", which you mentioned yesterday?

Charles Taliana (on 4/7/09)

In which WHO (International Schedule0 an examination for 130 Liri does it appear?
Further to my comments from yesterday I think that Dr Portelli should appeal the decision taken by the MAM.

Keith Goodlip (on 4/7/09)

@Frank Portelli........would you please stop. The fact that the medical council fined you says alot.

Talking about sour grapes...

Emanuel Farrugia (on 4/7/09)

Subtracting Lm130 from Lm674.61 leaves Lm544.61 expenses paid for a 36 Hour stay in a Private Hospital. It is not clear to me from the article, which amount the British Insurance Firm objected to, whether it was the Lm544.61 or Lm130 or both.

The fault for this situation may also be the result of a Liberalised Market Policy where a Trader or Professionist can charge whatever he likes for his services and the only defence that a consumer has is to refuse the service and shop around and look somewhere else, maybe the price is cheaper. Correct me if I am mistaken

Frank Portelli 2BFRANK (on 4/7/09)

The fee of Lm 674.61 refer to included a fee for Doctor Louis Buhagiar of Lm 130 for treating the patient for gastro enteritis

Frank Portelli
Director
St Philips Hospital