KUALA LUMPUR: Citing inflation and increased costs, the National Heart Institute (IJN) is asking for a 10-40 per cent hike in fees for patients outsourced by the Health Ministry, saying the existing fee structure was set in 2003.
"Healthcare costs have gone up but we still charge the government the original costs (which were set in 2003). For example, we have additional doctors or nurses, we don't charge them for it, we have to bear the cost," said chief executive officer Prof Datuk Seri Dr Mohamed Ezani Md Taib.
"So, we are seeking a fee review, an increase of 10 per cent to 40 per cent, depending on the procedure," said Ezani at a lunch briefing at IJN yesterday.
Ezani, who is newly appointed, took over the top post at IJN on Sept 1, reported The Edge.
He assured that despite the increase, the charge will not be as expensive as what private hospitals charged.
Ezani made a comparison: a simple bypass surgery, which costs between RM110,000 and RM1220,000 in private hospitals, costs only between RM40,000 and RM50,000 at IJN.
He also said IJN is in talks with the Health Ministry on the issue of a 'proper discharge methodology' following complaints raised by pensioners.
In February, the Health Ministry refuted claims that IJN was discharging all civil servants and pensioners to cardiac centres operated by the ministry due to the government's cost-cutting measures.
In a statement, the ministry admitted that prudent cost control measures were essential due to the increase in expenses annually following the referrals of patients to IJN.
The ministry however stressed that patients were only discharged from IJN when their conditions were stable with a monitoring period of at least six months to a year for adults; and one to two years for children.
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/02/1018279/ijn-patients-are-only...
At the same event, Ezani said IJN is adding 120 beds to its hospital.
It is aiming to increase its intake of private and foreign patients, he said.