"We have always maintained that healthcare is the government's responsibility. "The implementation of the scheme is long overdue and we urge the government to act on it with urgency as our aging population is increasing and people are going bankrupt because of rising healthcare costs."
Fomca has been receiving an average of 50 complaints a month about exorbitant fees imposed by private hospitals.
"Many patients complained that they had to fork out between RM5,000 and RM12,000 in medical fees for simple ailments and procedures at these hospitals. "When we complained to the Ministry of Health, we were told that these are the rates approved by the Malaysian Medical Council.
"They said consumers are free to choose but sometimes, people don't have a choice during an emergency and are forced to go to the nearest private hospital for treatment." Implementing the NHFS will allow the public to seek treatment at public or private hospitals without worrying about the cost factor, he said. "The NHFS would also help regulate the fees charged by private hospitals as they would have to comply with the approved rates."
The proposed NHFS has yet to see the light of day since it was first mooted 26 years ago under the Fourth Malaysia Plan (1981-1985). This was despite the Health Ministry conducting various feasibility studies on the proposal over the years. In March this year, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai was quoted as saying that it would take another year before the scheme could be implemented. He attributed the delay to various quarters that would be affected once the scheme came into force. Sha'ani says all medication dispensed from clinics and hospitals should be itemised to prevent profiteering. "Under the Consumer Protection Act 1999, all transactions require a receipt to be issued if the customer asks for it. "However, the legacy practice of stating only the lump-sum charge for treatments has denied consumers information on the price of each medicine prescribed." He said if hospitals and clinics were compelled to provide an itemised bill, it would curb profiteering. Sha'ani added that many consumers who bought medical insurance were also left in the lurch when they discovered that their policies had limited medical coverage. "People pay high premiums believing that it will cover them during emergencies. But when they get admitted for a more serious condition like a heart attack, they are shocked to learn that their medical insurance does not cover the hospital costs." He said health insurance companies should educate their policyholders on what is covered and how much the coverage is worth, to avoid putting them in a quandary.
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