From today, the Mongkut Wattana private hospital has stopped accepting out patients referred by private clinics under a contract with the National Health Security Office (NHSO), claiming that the NHSO is refusing to pay an outstanding debt of about 14 million baht.
According to a statement, issued by the director of the hospital Dr. Rienthong Nanna, they will, however, continue to treat patients suffering from cancer, chronic kidney failure and AIDS who were transferred from the clinics under the “OP-Refer” program.
Dr. Rienthong said that his decision to stop accepting other “OP-Refer” patients follows his prior request that the NHSO to settle the debt within November.
He also claims that NHSO has not settled the 30 million baht owed in doctor’s fees, incurred in the treatment of “OP-Refer” patients since March this year, adding that the hospital will not survive if it continues to accept patients under the scheme.
He said his hospital encountered similar problems about four years ago, when an unsettled 13.2 million baht was owed to the hospital by the NHSO, forcing them to take the case to the Administrative Court, where it is still pending.
