22-12-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Fresh concerns over stark disparities in private hospital charges between insured and uninsured patients have emerged, as six MPs from Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) press for governmental intervention amid Bank Negara’s recent measures to tackle soaring medical insurance premiums.
An analysis of data from Bank Negara Malaysia and the Ministry of Health reveals that insured patients are routinely charged up to four times more than their uninsured counterparts for identical medical procedures, according to a joint statement issued by the MPs on Saturday.
The parliamentary group highlighted several striking examples of price differentiation. A dengue patient utilising a guarantee letter faces charges of RM4,978, whilst those opting for the ‘pay and claim’ route are billed substantially less at RM1,288. Similarly, pneumonia treatment costs RM6,859 for insured patients compared to RM2,654 for uninsured individuals, whilst cataract procedures show a significant gap of RM6,000 versus RM3,000.
The MPs also raised concerns about the inadequate oversight of hospital charges for consumables such as gloves, masks, and syringes.
To address public grievances, the MPs have established a dedicated email channel ([email protected]) for reporting questionable hospital charges.
The parliamentary intervention follows Bank Negara’s announcement of temporary relief measures, effective from 2024. These include a three-year graduated premium increase structure, delayed premium hikes for senior citizens over 60 with basic plans, policy reactivation options for those surrendering coverage in 2024, and the introduction of more affordable insurance products.
The central bank’s intervention represents an attempt to balance consumer protection with the sustainability of health insurance provisions, whilst the MPs’ initiative signals growing political pressure for broader reform in private healthcare charging practices.
