Malaysia - Malaysian government mulls controversial health scheme

Malaysia aims to implement a mandatory health insurance scheme for the nation, which could lead to a deduction off workers’ salaries into a government insurance fund.

A representative of the scheme, known as 1Care, yesterday confirmed that it would be made mandatory for all Malaysians, adding more controversy on a scheme that is viewed as an additional tax to the people.

Supposedly based on the UK National Health Service, 1Care is expected to replace the current two-tier healthcare system with one. Under the present system, patients can either seek treatment at private clinics or hospitals but pay a premium for the services, or visit government-run hospitals, where medical fees are subsidized.

However, rumors on 1Care flooded the Malaysian cyberspace recently that as much as 10% would be deducted off Malaysians’ salaries to be put into a government-run insurance fund. Under the scheme, patients might also be limited to only six visits per year under the scheme.

This fueled concerns among Malaysians, with some claiming that 1Care is a vehicle to siphon money out from Malaysians to benefit government cronies. Medical practitioners have also slammed the scheme, saying that it is more expensive for Malaysians to seek medical treatment under 1Care.

While the deputy director of the National Health Financing unit Dr Rozita Halina Hussein said 1Care would have to made mandatory to all Malaysians, the Malaysian Health Ministry, on the other hand, has given different signals by saying that the scheme was still at ‘infancy’ stage and would not burden Malaysians.

The Malaysian Insider wrote today that the 1Care scheme is basically a ‘done deal’ and at a ‘very, very advanced’ stage of planning, citing sources that are closely involved in the planning of the healthcare revamp.

However, on The New Straits Times, Health director-general Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman denied individuals and businesses would have to fork our 10% of their monthly income for the health insurance scheme. He also said it was untrue that patients could only seek treatment six times annually.

Malaysia allocates up to RM16 billion (US$5.3 billion) on medical expenditure annually, with the bulk spent on subsidizing public healthcare services.

Yong Yen Nie

Asian Correspondent

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