No reason for debt collectors

Star: THE Health Ministry does not agree with the move by the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital (HUKM) to collect unpaid bills through a debt collection company, Sin Chew Daily said.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek told the paper the ministry could not condone the move, especially when it also affected some underprivileged patients.
He advised the hospital to first check on the background of its patients or get details of the patients from the Welfare Department, to find if they could afford the medical fees.
He was commenting on a recent press report that said the hospital had appointed a debt collection company to collect unpaid medical bills from seven women whose husbands had received treatment at the hospital.
“HUKM has no reason to do this. It is not necessary to collect unpaid bills through debt collectors,” Dr Chua said in an interview with the daily.
He said any patient who could not afford medical treatment could apply for financial aid from the ministry, urging the seven widows to contact his ministry if they needed help.