Materia Medica Malaysiana

Healthcare due for major revamp

The existing national healthcare system is due for a major revamp, with the way being paved by the enforcement of the National Health Financing Scheme (NHFS) next year.
The practicalities of the scheme, however, are causing ripples already among parties likely to be affected or left out. While one million civil servants, 200,000 disabled persons, 435,000 pensioners and around a quarter million hardcore poor are exempted from payment, senior citizens not covered by pension schemes could be left out in the cold.
“Do companies that already have private insurance plans need to contribute to the health plan? What is the criteria for the poor who are exempted?” said S. Radhakrishnan, past president of Medico Legal Society, and adviser to the conference (May 19) Medical Law – Current Development and Future Implications.
The meeting, on May 19, provides an opportunity for people who have concerns over the proposed health plan, and the far-reaching implications on provision of healthcare, to present their views to the government.
It is organised by the Malayan Law Journal/LexisNexis.
“Further details are not available at the moment and there is a growing concern among those affected – doctors, workers and their dependents, senior citizens and employers over this issue,” said Radhakrishnan.
“Until we know the details of the scheme, the legal framework cannot be addressed,” he said.
Radhakrishnan said he hopes that it will be addressed after the Ministry of Health presents the details of the NHFS during the conference.
The ministry will be looking into details such as the quantum of payment criteria and ceiling of contributions, the collection mechanism, the basic health packages and the provider payment mechanism.
The panel members will include speakers from MOH, the Malaysian Medical Association, the Malaysian Employers’ Federation, the Malaysian Trades Union Congress, Consumers Association of Penang, the National Council of Senior Citizens Organisations and the Medico Legal Society.
Participants will include doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, lawyers and insurance company executives.
Other topics that will be presented in the medical law conference are Patient’s Autonomy in Malaysia, Organ Donation Transplants, Medical Discipline Inquiry.
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