Ipinagbabawal ito ng batas kung ang pasyente ay hindi sa private room naconfine. Ayon sa R.A. No. 9439 (An Act Prohibiting the Detention of Patients in Hospitals and Medical Clinics on Grounds of Non-payment of Hospital Bills or Medical Expenses), illegal ang detention ng patients who have fully or partially recovered or have been adequately attended to for reasons of non-payment in part or in full of hospital bills or medical expenses (Section 1, R.A. No. 9439).
Ayon dito, ang patient na nais nang umalis ng hospital ngunit hindi makapagbayad ng buong hospital bills ay dapat payagang umalis, basta ito ay mag-execute ng promissory note para sa unsettled or unpaid bills (basta hindi ito nag-stay sa private room). Ayon sa Section 2:
“SEC. 2. Patients who have fully or partially recovered and who already wish to leave the hospital or medical clinic but are financially incapable to settle, in part or in full, their hospitalization expenses, including professional fees and medicines, shall be allowed to leave the hospital or medical clinic, with a right to demand the issuance of the corresponding medical certificate and other pertinent papers required for the release of the patient from the hospital or medical clinic upon the execution of a promissory note covering the unpaid obligation. The promissory note shall be secured by either a mortgage or by a guarantee of a co-maker, who will be jointly and severally liable with the patient for the unpaid obligation. In the case of a deceased patient, the corresponding death certificate and other documents required for interment and other purposes shall be released to any of his surviving relatives requesting for the same: Provided, however, That patients who stayed in private rooms shall not be covered by this Act.”
Ang sinumang officer o employee ng hospital or medical na lumabag dito ay maaaring kasuhan sa ilalim ng batas na ito at magkaroon ng karmpatang parusa ng multa o pagkakakulong (Section 3).
Sa kaso ng namatay na pasyente, ang death certificate at iba pang documents na required para sa kanyang internment at iba pang purposes ay dapat irelease sa mga kaanak na nagrerequest nito.
Kung hindi naman covered ng nabanggit na batas, halimbawang sa private room nagstay, kailangan pong icheck ang patakaran ng hospital tungkol sa hindi pagbayad ng buo sa bill at kung ano ang pwedeng gawin tungkol dito.