Despite economic downturn, many hospitals in HCM City reported profits of hundreds of billions of VND and continue to increase medical fees.
Several hospitals in HCM City made hundreds of billions VND in 2011
Previously hospitals have tried to persuade the public that they were operating at losses and had to increase medical fees to cover their expenses. However, recent reports to HCM City’s National Assembly deputies have shown that several of these hospitals have been profitable.
Cho Ray Hospital collected hospital fees worth over VND2.116 trillion (USD101.36 million) in 2011 and made a profit of around VND220 billion (USD10.53 million) during that year.
The hospital collected nearly VND1.274 trillion (USD61.02 million) worth of hospital fees in the first six months of this year while its total expenses were just VND931 billion (USD44.6 million), making for earnings of more than VND340 billion (USD16.28 million) in the first half of this year. Still it proposed a ten-fold increase in hospital fees on September 10.
Last month, Thong Nhat Hospital also increased fees. The hospital’s leaders claimed that the increase was needed to cover expenses and keep up with the market prices. In reality they made profits of hundreds of billions of VND.
A number of other hospitals, such as the HCM City Oncology Hospital of Tumours have shown similar results, with reports of large profits while applying price hikes at the same time.
Still, the higher new price frame for hospital fees will take effect at many hospitals in HCM City in 2013.
An anonymous doctor from HCM City Eye Hospital said that the institution had earned around VND200 billion (USD9.58 million) last year.
Extra fees
In addition to hospital fees, patients have been asked to pay for several extra fees, including parking, fees for faster treatment and to select their doctors.
Higher hospital fees burden patients
Nhan Dan 115 Hospital took in over VND100 million (USD4,790) in parking fees alone, while Pediatrics 1 Hospital and Cho Ray Hospital raked in hundreds of million VND.
Since 2007 several hospitals have invented new service charges. Luxuries, such as television and air-conditioning, can cost anywhere between VND400,000 and VND500,000 (USD19.16-USD23.95) per person per day.
Those who want to be seen by a doctor quickly might have to pay from VND70,000 to VND100,000 (USD3.35-USD4.79) each. Fees to get choice doctors are around VND200,000 (USD9.58).
Even though hospital fees have been kept unchanged for 15 years, by many accounts medical institutions have been quite clever in coming up with new ways to charge patients extra. After the proposed increase in medical fees is put into place, hospitals could stand to increase their profits ranging from 50%-80% higher than the Ministry of Health’s regulations permit.
Despite their huge profits, an anonymous director of a big hospital in the city said that the pay for medical workers remains low.
