PHA says dialysis service provided irrespective of patients’ ability to pay
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Dialysis patients who visited Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) for treatment this week were asked to register and allegedly advised of a $275 charge for the service — much to their shock.
However, the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) said treatment was provided irrespective of patients’ ability to “pay or make a contribution”.
Marvin Johnson, 58, who has needed dialysis for over three and a half years, said when he arrived for treatment at the hospital yesterday morning, he met a registration booth set up in the Dialysis Unit and was told he needed to register and pay $275 for treatment.
We can’t afford it because a lot of us don’t work, a lot of us are pensioners and some of us ain’ got nothing.
– Marvin Johnson, PMH dialysis patient
“I told them, I said: ‘OK, well what happens to someone like me who is on NIB invalidity benefit and we are supposed to be exempted, and 65 years and older, exempted from paying certain things?’” Johnson recalled.
“The lady said she could not answer me and I need to go to head office and find out why they did that.”
Johnson visits the hospital three times per week for treatment.
He said he was made to understand that if he could not pay, the service fee would accumulate against his name.
“We can’t afford it because a lot of us don’t work, a lot of us are pensioners and some of us ain’ got nothing,” Johnson said.
“We just come for treatment, which is supposed to be at the expense of the government.
“I know that they cannot outright deny treatment.
“I know that for a fact, but, like I say, the bill will be accumulating and then we don’t what they [are] going to spring — like how they spring this on us on out of the clear blue sky this morning.
“We don’t know what they could spring on us somewhere down the road.”
In a statement, the PHA said, contrary to “rumors circulating on social media”, patients requiring dialysis services were not being “newly charged for that service”.
The PHA said the only change that was made was to bring the registration process in line with other services in the hospital.
“When patients require treatment, they are advised what the cost of the service is and asked if they are able to pay or make a contribution,” it said.
“Whatever their response, patients are still treated, irrespective of their financial circumstances.”
Former commercial pilot and master boatman Alpheus “Captain Bucket” Stubbs , who is in his 70s, said when he was asked to register at the Dialysis Unit ahead of his treatment on Tuesday morning, he explained that he is sick, does not work and is well beyond the senior citizen age that should entitle him to service without cost.
They allowed me to have the treatment yesterday, but I don’t know what tomorrow is going to be like because the treatment is Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
– Alpheus “Captain Bucket” Stubbs, PMH dialysis patient
“We dilly-dally around and dilly-dally around until one [person] told me to go in the chair and sit down,” he recalled.
“I am over 65; I did not pay that ($275). I can’t pay that.
“I was on dialysis now for 14 years and I ain’ worked for about 16.
“Where am I going to find that?
“They allowed me to have the treatment yesterday, but I don’t know what tomorrow is going to be like because the treatment is Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.”
He added: “They are turning it into a business.”
Calls placed to Minister of Health Dr Michael Darville were not returned and attempts to reach former Minister of Health Reward Wells were unsuccessful up to press time.
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