KUALA LUMPUR: In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Hazween Hassan speaks to Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh and former Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) president Dr Steven Chow to explore the contentious hikes in medical insurance premiums.
The discussion dives into the rationale behind these increases, highlighting the escalating costs of healthcare.
Last month, reports indicated that medical insurance premiums could surge by 40 per cent to 70 per cent next year, following notices issued by insurers to policyholders.
This sharp rise is attributed primarily to the growing expenses of medical care in private hospitals.
This week, after lawmakers deliberated the issue in Parliament, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that Bank Negara Malaysia, the Treasury, and the Health Ministry are reviewing the increases.
He assured Parliament that strict guidance would be issued to medical and health insurance providers to address the matter.
Subsequently, the Parliamentary Special Select Committee on Health proposed six recommendations to tackle the issue.
Committee chairman Suhaizan Kaiat suggested measures such as introducing co-payment options, implementing price controls on health services, and expediting the diagnosis-related groups (DRG) system.
The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) has expressed its support for these cost-control measures. President Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh says that the association fully endorses the proposed solutions.
Catch the full discussion on episode 72 of Beyond the Headlines on YouTube at @NSTOnline.