Patients who have recently received SMS notifications demanding payment for outstanding hospital accounts from Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital can rest assured that the messages are legitimate and form part of the Gauteng Department of Health’s official debt collection process.

The hospital issued a public clarification following concerns from patients who questioned the authenticity of the SMS notifications, with some fearing they were the target of a scam.

According to the hospital’s Deputy Director of Finance, Anthony Ramodike, the notifications are being sent in line with government policies governing the recovery of outstanding patient accounts.

“The SMS notifications received by some patients are legitimate and form part of the Department of Health’s debt collection process in accordance with the Uniform Patient Fee Schedule (UPFS), the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) and other applicable government regulations,” said Ramodike.

He explained that the UPFS is a national billing system used by public healthcare facilities across South Africa to ensure that patient fees are charged in a standardised, transparent and equitable manner.

Under the system, patients who qualify to pay for healthcare services remain responsible for settling their accounts.

The hospital emphasised that while many public healthcare services are subsidised by the government, not all patients automatically qualify for free treatment.

Ramodike said billing is determined according to the patient’s financial circumstances and classification under the UPFS.

To assist in recovering outstanding debt owed to the state, the Department of Health has appointed Noko Maimela Attorneys to manage the collection of unpaid hospital accounts.

As a result, patients may receive communication directly from the appointed attorneys regarding unpaid balances.

“Patients who have received these notifications are encouraged to settle their outstanding accounts or make payment arrangements with the appointed attorneys to avoid further collection processes,” said Ramodike.

The hospital said the clarification became necessary after several patients expressed uncertainty over the legitimacy of the messages circulating via SMS.

Hospital management also urged members of the public not to ignore the notifications but rather to verify their accounts if they are unsure of the amount owed.

Patients who believe they have received a fraudulent message are encouraged to contact the hospital directly before making any payment.

Ramodike said recovering outstanding accounts is important for maintaining the financial sustainability of public healthcare institutions, ensuring that hospitals can continue providing quality healthcare services to communities.

The hospital apologised for any inconvenience or anxiety caused and thanked patients for their co-operation during the debt recovery process.

Patients who have questions regarding their hospital accounts, wish to make payment arrangements or suspect they have received a scam message are advised to contact the hospital’s patient administration or finance department during office hours on 012 529 3000 for assistance.

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