Liow: Allegations against 1Care baseless

FMT KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Health has rebutted claims that the proposed national 1Care health plan will burden Malaysians.
Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai told the Dewan Rakyat today that many of the accusations aimed at the 1Care plan were untrue.
He said this was because the government had not yet finalised the plan, much less reach a decision on it.
“What has been raised by (certain) irresponsible groups that are engaged in roadshows right now… there has been no decision made by any parties that are involved with the betterment of the health system right now. We have not come to a decision,” the Bentong MP said.
Liow also denied claims that the proposed system would be launched in March this year, as well as allegations that people would need to pay 10% of their salary to fund 1Care and that it would be privatised.
The minister was responding to a query by Kota Melaka (DAP) Sim Tong Him, who asked how much the government would spend on 1Care every year.
Sim also asked how many people would be expected to benefit from the programme, how it would be able to generate funds and if it was indeed a joint-venture with the private sector.
According to Liow, an explanation for this would be difficult as the government had not yet come up with a blueprint on the proposed plan.
He added that the ministry was in the process of getting feedback from the public through hearings and dialogues.
Stakeholders will be consulted
During a press conference later, Liow said that the government hoped to come out with a blueprint for the 1Care plan within the next two years.
“Blueprint will be ready after the (public) feedback. When the blueprint is ready, then we’ll go back to the rakyat again…Then we will see how the response is from the public,” he said.
Liow also stressed that the approach to the plan would not be “piecemeal”.
He added that it would be “very detailed”, and would involve expert views from all stakeholders, including the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA).
Public feedback sessions, the minister added, would take place from the end of March until the end of the year.
He also said that the claim of people having to give up 10% of their salary was based off a study on how much people spent on healthcare.
“I want to reiterate that the 10% is actually based on a study carried out on how much you spend a year on health per household. That is the average that you spend out of your salary.
“I don’t know how they took it out (of context), and say that you’d have to pay 10% of your salary. It’s a totally different thing,” he said.
PKR wants more transparency

Meanwhile, in another press conference, PKR leaders urged Liow to be more transparent in the implementation of the 1Care programme.
Gopeng MP Lee Boon Chye questioned the success of the plan when public faith in the government health care services was low.
“According to figures in last year’s budget, 48 million people went to private clinics and only 27 million opted for government clinics,” he said.
He also asked on how the government health services could be improved when the ministry’s allocations have been declining over the past three years.
“According to last year’s budget, development allocation for the ministry was reduced through the years. It was RM3.7 billion in 2010, RM2.2 billion in 2011 and RM1.8 billion in 2012,” he said.
PKR vice president and Kuantan MP Fuziah Salleh also urged more transparency from the health minister.
“The minister is claiming that the opposition is trying to sabotage the government’s intention but why can’t they just be more transparent? Just consult the stakeholders even before having a blueprint,” she said.