Gaane: No payment for donated blood from Red Cross to JRBGH

Councilor Maria Lourdes S. Gaane, chair of the City Council committee on health, nutrition, and health insurance, said patients confined at the J.R. Borja General Hospital (JRBGH) do not have to pay for blood donated by the Philippine Red Cross.

The lady councilor made the clarification during the 36th regular session of the 20th City Council Tuesday presided over by Presiding Officer Protempore Councilor Romeo V. Calizo, in response to the query of Councilor James Judith II, following the approval of Ordinance No. 14526-2023.

The ordinance authorizes City Mayor Rolando A. Uy to enter into and sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Philippine Red Cross covering the collaboration in the promotion and recruitment of voluntary blood donations at the JRBGH (designated as the licensed blood bank by the Department of Health (DOH).

Councilor Judith pointed out that as provided in the MOA, the city shall remit the payment of blood service fees for the blood and blood products supplied within 10 days after receipt of the monthly Statement of Account. He expressed confusion as to why the city has to pay for the processing fee to the Red Cross when the Northern Mindanao Medical Hospital (NMMC), on the other hand, does not require payment for blood supplied to the JRBGH.

Councilor Gaane explained that patients admitted at JRBGH do not pay the processing fee for blood products because the JRBGH personnel will get the blood products from the Red Cross, which will then be charged to PhilHealth. However, if family members of patients go directly to the Red Cross to get blood, they will have to pay for the processing fee, she explained.

“Ang Red Cross kung magkuha ka og blood naa sila’y processing fee kay diha nila gai-process. Pero kung ang JRBGH ang magbayad kay admitted ang patient wala ta’y gabayran as processing fee kay ang JRBGH ang ga-process sa atong blood,” Gaane stressed. For his part, Councilor Ian Mark Q. Nacaya explained that Red Cross has its own board and management team that enforces the policy regarding the payment of blood processing fee. The matter raised by Councilor Judith was referred to the committee on health, nutrition and health insurance for further discussion.