Health Ministry To Introduce Non-Profit Health Financial Scheme

Due to the rising concern of limited coverage for out-of-pocket funds and private health insurance, the Ministry of Health is in the midst of planning for an alternative non-profit health financing scheme.

According to Minister of Health Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam, the plan was to address the challenges and limitations that Malaysians face with out-of-pocket payment and the financial difficulties they face due to that.

Currently, more than half of the population opt for private health services and over 30% of their health expenditure are out-of-pocket payments. For individuals that has sufficient fund will not feel the heat, but for individuals who are not, financial catastrophe can follow.

However, this scheme will be on a voluntary basis and a special company would be created under the Ministry of Health to manage this non-profit scheme.

He also assured that the current highly-subsidised public health care would be maintained. And the ministry hopes that this scheme would be able to address the weaknesses in the current private healthcare system over time.

[Source]

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