Charges for outpatient treatment and RM5 for Specialist Outpatient treatment will remain unchanged, said Ministry of Health (MOH) Secretary-General Dr Chen Chaw Min.
That is good BUT what about charges when someone needs to be admitted and warded, needs surgery, needs X-Ray, etc? Will the charges still 'remain unchanged' as more and more hospitals fall under this 'Full Paying Patient' programme. Sadly, the relevant Act and the Orders about this Full Paying Scheme not to be found in the Ministry of Health Website...I also searched the web - sorry could not find it, save for the FEES (MEDICAL) (FULL PAYING PATIENT) (AMENDMENT) ORDER 2015 (which can be found below)
Now, when we look at the recent statement of Ministry of Health (MOH) Secretary-General Dr Chen Chaw Min, which was possibly issued to assure the people of Malaysia about healthcare charges in GOVERNMENT hospitals. There is a growing concern concerning the Fees (Medical) (Full Paying Patient) Order 2007 - whereby patients will be required to pay the full cost of the medical treatment received, especially when specialists are concerned. The rationale was to make the income earned by Specialist better so that they will stay in the Government hospitals/clinics...
From the money collected from each surgery or medical process, 40 per cent is given to the hospital while the remainder is for the specialist in charge. - Health Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya
Now the rich and those who can afford to pay generally will seek out PRIVATE hospitals and clinics, as they are willing to pay more.
For the rest of us, we just go to the GOVERNMENT hospitals and clinics...which provided free or affordable healthcare...but now, our government seems to be slowly and surely trying to increase the cost of Healthcare.
It also wants to attract customers of private medical facilities to come to the government hospitals too.['...the price offered is half what is offered at private hospitals...']
Now, most of the government hospitals are already finding it most difficult to cater with the number of patients - there are not even enough beds in many hospitals...and it is not uncommon for people to be pressured to take their loved ones home so that beds can be available for new patients (Of course, not uncommon is 'poor planning' - no allocation for space for expansion to facilitate growing number of patients - so no place to build new blocks for wards...this poor planning can also be seen in the inadequacy in parking spots, and the absence of public transport...).
Patients who opt for the FPP programme can chose their own doctor and suitable time to conduct the surgery. However, it will only be held on holidays and non-peak times. However, the programme only caters to 30 per cent of the total patients in hospitals and the price offered is half what is offered at private hospitals.
But this UMNO-BN government over the years seemed to be more inclined to promote PRIVATE hospitals and clinics - possibly also with the idea of phasing out free and affordable public healthcare ...Look at highly populated Klang Valley - how many government hospitals are there?
Hence, this new 'Full Paying Patient' scheme would be consistent with this policy - so, it was introduced in some hospitals where patients will have to pay the full cost of the healthcare...and the specialist will get a certain percentage of this fees...
ABSURD - The government should have simply paid Specialist Doctors a higher wage or allowances (possibly based on number of patients seen and/or dealt with) - this is the government's responsibility - but this BN-UMNO government decided to get patients to pay for it...
'You Use You Pay' policy sees a slow erosion of government subsidies across the board - even for basic necessities like healthcare and essential food items - sugar, cooking oil, etc...
Further, the 'Full Paying Patient' policy is DISCRIMINATORY against the economically disadvantaged - well, the rich can choose their specialist, schedule their surgery, etc...Would the ordinary patient get the same treatment from the Specialist Doctor, compared with the service he/she gives a 'Full Paying Patient'.
There is a growing list of government hospitals that is using this scheme...In Temerloh, we had the Mentakab General Hospital - but then the government closed down the Mentakab Hospital and opened the Temerloh Specialist Hospital...
REMEMBER - Healthcare cost increased because Malaysia went and signed trade agreements like WTO and TPPA - which effectively forced Malaysia to buy medicines from the big private companies. Before Malaysia, produced its own generic medicines - we remember those tablets with the KK (Kementerian Kesihatan) stamp on it. Now, because of the foolish move by the UMNO-BN government, the government is forced to pay so much more for medicines - and as such, when we see the doctor and get our prescription, we do not get the full prescription until the next doctor's appointment - we have to come to the clinic every month the get our monthly supply. Why? Blame our UMNO-BN government - and with the signing of the TPPA, things will be worse...
The thing we need to consider in the upcoming General Elections is what will the Opposition do about healthcare in Malaysia...what will UMNO-BN do? Follow the same or...
What is the solution?
1 - Abolish the 'Full Paying Patient' Scheme - work towards free healthcare in Malaysia. If Thailand can provide everything from consultation, medicine, surgery, wards, etc for 30 Baht only (equivalent to RM3) - surely Malaysia must also do the same for ALL in Malaysia.
2 - Increase the SALARY of Specialist Doctors, maybe also include an allowance based on the number of patients seen/treated..
3 - Impose conditions on all Specialist Doctors in Malaysia - requiring them to provide a certain hours of free public service for certain number of hours every month, and also emergency consultancy service, etc.. If the fail to do so, revoke their permits/license to practice in Malaysia. This is also something that can be done. Similar conditions can be imposed on private health facilities - factoring also that some may be GLCs.
4 - Public healthcare must be efficient and preferably we must be working towards free healthcare. The government should also be moving away from promoting Health Tourism - that should be for the Private Sector to do - to attract customers to their establishment.
5 - Institute Jantung Negara should be restructured and come under the government - and must be providing FREE health care or very affordable healthcare. Now, it provides free services(or low rates) only for public servants - when it should be for all Malaysians. Priority must be for all in Malaysia - NOT patients coming from overseas to get treatment. As and when we can already fully cater to the needs of Malaysians and those in Malaysia, then, and then only, maybe the service of IJN could be extended to overseas customers for profits.
Related posts:-
Health Ministry hiding charges for heart surgery/procedures for Malaysians? WHY?
No change in treatment charges at hospitals, govt clinics
Bernama Published Updated
Charges for outpatient treatment and RM5 for Specialist Outpatient
treatment will remain unchanged, said Ministry of Health (MOH)
Secretary-General Dr Chen Chaw Min.
He said treatment charges for patients at hospitals and health clinics were in accordance to what had been set in the Fees (Medical) Order 1982.
“The charges for patients who chose to get full-paying patient services are based on the Fees (Medical) (Full Paying Patient) Order 2007.
However, services provided through mobile clinics via land, sea or air are free,” he said when commenting on the misunderstanding by members of the public regarding treatment charges at hospitals and MOH clinics that went viral on social media.
Dr Chen said the underprivileged, patients with contagious diseases, senior citizens, students, mothers undergoing antenatal care and postnatal treatment as well as children under the age of one are exempted from payment.
He said treatment charges for patients at hospitals and health clinics were in accordance to what had been set in the Fees (Medical) Order 1982.
“The charges for patients who chose to get full-paying patient services are based on the Fees (Medical) (Full Paying Patient) Order 2007.
However, services provided through mobile clinics via land, sea or air are free,” he said when commenting on the misunderstanding by members of the public regarding treatment charges at hospitals and MOH clinics that went viral on social media.
Dr Chen said the underprivileged, patients with contagious diseases, senior citizens, students, mothers undergoing antenatal care and postnatal treatment as well as children under the age of one are exempted from payment.
Meanwhile, in another development, Health Director-General Noor
Hisham Abdullah said up until Sept 30, government hospitals had a total
of 4,474 medical specialists, but may still need to increase the number.
“Although there has been an increase in the number of specialists, there is a need to increase the nation’s health services due to increase in the population, health complexities, health facilities and services that especially require high expertise and meet the people’s expectation,” he said in a statement here yesterday
Meanwhile, Hisham said the government was greatly concerned over this matter and was constantly trying to maintain the calibre of its medical specialists through various initiatives.
- Bernama
Source:- MLTIC Website“Although there has been an increase in the number of specialists, there is a need to increase the nation’s health services due to increase in the population, health complexities, health facilities and services that especially require high expertise and meet the people’s expectation,” he said in a statement here yesterday
Meanwhile, Hisham said the government was greatly concerned over this matter and was constantly trying to maintain the calibre of its medical specialists through various initiatives.
- Bernama
Public hospitals to implement ‘Full Pay Patient’ scheme in move to retain specialists
Friday November 4, 2016
10:12 PM GMT+8
Health
Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the programme would not
impact the people as they would still pay only RM1 for medical
treatment. — Picture by K.E.Ooi GEORGE TOWN, Nov 4 — Major
public hospitals nationwide will be implementing a Full Pay Patient
(FPP) programme for the rich and foreigners to retain specialists.
Health Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said the programme
would not impact the people as they would still pay only RM1 for medical
treatment.
“The FPP programme is only for those who can afford and it is a way to
retain specialists at public hospitals and at the same time, capitalise
the loop-hole in providing free healthcare for foreigners,” he told a
press conference here today.
The FPP programme was introduced in 2007 and is an ongoing process to
make as many hospitals as possible to opt for it. Among the hospitals
which opted for the programme is the Langkawi Hospital.
From the money collected from each surgery or medical process, 40 per
cent is given to the hospital while the remainder is for the specialist
in charge.
“We hope with this programme, specialists will stay with us instead of
resigning and moving to private health institutions,” said Dr Hilmi.
Patients who opt for the FPP programme can chose their own doctor and
suitable time to conduct the surgery. However, it will only be held on
holidays and non-peak times.
However, the programme only caters to 30 per cent of the total patients
in hospitals and the price offered is half what is offered at private
hospitals. — Bernama - Malay Mail, 4/11/2016
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