DPH lowers circumcision bill of patient

The Department of Public Health has lowered the hospital bill of the patient who was billed $7,901.82 for a circumcision.

According to the patient’s mother, she received a phone call from DPH chief financial officer Esther Muna letting her know of her son’s new bill.

The mother now owes the hospital $2,089.90 for her son’s recent procedure.

She explained that, although she is still not satisfied, “it’s a lot better than having to pay $8,000.”

The mother, a Chinese, had called the hospital in mid-July 2007 to ask how much it would cost to get the procedure done and was reportedly told by a hospital staff that it would cost around $250. It was not, however, until March this year that her son went through with it.

When asked why she relied on an answer given her a year ago, and never called the hospital back to make sure the hospital still charged the same, she explained that she didn’t even know the word “circumcision” as her English is very poor.

“I just learned it when my son came to me and told me he wanted to get his done,” the mother said. She said her son wanted it done because most of his friends had undergone the same procedure.

She added that it is not common in China for males to get circumcised. “Some do it, some don’t,” she said.

The mother said she would visit DPH’s billing office today and make arrangements for payment.

She is hoping she can make arrangements to pay for at least $100 a month until the debt is paid off.

Muna explained in an e-mail that surgical procedures are charged based on the actual procedure plus the time spent in the operating room.

“When simple and less-weighted procedures result in a total charge that exceeds what is reasonable for the weighted procedure and there is no mention of a complication in the patient’s record, DPH will impose a limited amount that would be charged for the operating room,” she said.

“The [previous] rates for health services do not reflect costs of service and this has resulted in the provision of inadequate revenues to maintain public health operations,” Muna added.

DPH added that the department “strives to ensure that the citizens and residents of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands have access to adequate health services and these new rates are a critical component of this effort.”