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‘Free’ care for foreign patients at Mount Carmel piles up costs
Auditor General annual report: foreign patients seldom pay fees to hospital due to their vulnerable state.
17 December 2012, 12:00am
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
1 min read
Most foreign patients admitted at the Mount Carmel mental care hospital do not end up paying a standard, if prohibitive, €256 rate per night because they are either admitted involuntarily or are unable to pay the bill.
Observations from the National Audit Office's annual report found that the hospital is still owed €670,000 - over half was accrued in 2011.
"Most patients are admitted involuntarily and are vulnerable both physically and economically," the hospital said in the audit report's observations. Few provide their details or present themselves with money to pay the bills.
"Very often they cannot even be traced. We have even tried to take legal action against them, but the advice was purely that it is not worth given that there are no valid contact details, and where there is, in 95% of the cases the patient is still unable to pay."
Invoices are only reversed if foreign patients present documentation that exempts them from payment, namely Maltese citizenship or payment of national insurance contributions, a British passport, or a valid European Health Insurance card.
Many asylum seekers kept in detention by the Detention Services Unit are often referred to Mount Carmel for treatment due to their long period of incarceration pending the review of their asylum claims.
Luke Camilleri •
Have they never heard of payment in advance for services to be rendered?????
The HOSPITALITY SECTOR get paid in advanced so why not foreign patients at Mount Carmel????
Is there a Financial Controller that takes responsability for these goings on.... an AUDIT would be in order!
Luke Camilleri •
Have they never heard of payment in advance for services to be rendered?????
The HOSPITALITY SECTOR get paid in advanced so why not foreign patients at Mount Carmel????
Is there a Financial Controller that takes responsability for these goings on.... an AUDIT would be in order!
Luke Camilleri •
Have they never heard of payment in advance for services to be rendered?????
The HOSPITALITY SECTOR get paid in advanced so why not foreign patients at Mount Carmel????
Is there a Financial Controller that takes responsability for these goings on.... an AUDIT would be in order!
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Mike, didn't you know that after 25 years in power, the Nationalist Party still has 40% of the Maltese working population dependent on the Government budget and employment, under the guise of the Public Sector? Truly solid finances, ta'veru! Of course very true, but for the Ministers, and going right down to the last civil servant! Taxpayers and employees in the private sector cry your eyes out.
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Why does it cost €256 per day in the first place? Can someone give us a breakdown of the cost?
