Follow S’pore, introduce affordable medical insurance, says senator

PETALING JAYA: There is an urgent need to introduce a price control policy in private hospitals as a step to regulate charges and cost of medical treatment, says Dewan Negara member C Sivaraj.

He said this was necessary to deal with charges that seem to be continuously on the rise at these hospitals, Bernama reported.

Sivaraj said Malaysia could emulate countries like Singapore that control treatment charges through the national MediShield Life scheme.

He also proposed the introduction of an affordable basic insurance plan, with lower fees, to help the M40 and B40 groups who are increasingly affected by this rise in health insurance premiums.

“Countries like Germany and the Netherlands have long practised this method,” he said in a statement.

The senator said Malaysia should consider implementing a national health insurance scheme, based on the concept of “risk pooling” like in Singapore, to ensure all citizens receive adequate basic health protection.

“Health is a human right, not a commodity. We must act immediately to protect the people and ensure the country’s healthcare system remains resilient,” he added.

Sivaraj also called on the government to curb the migration of specialist doctors in service to the private sector by increasing salaries, perks and career opportunities.

Recently, the Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy had slammed Bank Negara Malaysia over its “late” directive for insurance and takaful operators to review their repricing strategies following an outcry over the sudden increase of 40-70% in medical insurance premiums next year.

It said BNM’s response only came after a public backlash and numerous reports that people were terminating their policies, further burdening the public healthcare service.