ANY changes to the public healthcare services fee structure will not be rushed. 

Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the fee structure will be analysed and take into consideration the views of all stakeholders collected through engagement sessions. 

She said what was important to the government currently was to ensure that Malaysians, especially the poor and the needy, would not be affected and could enjoy continued access to healthcare services. 

“At this time, the rate charged in the public sector is very minimal as the government subsidises a lot and the fee charged is the same for all patients. 

“In fact, the Health Ministry does not have a mechanism to collect surplus fees even if patients are willing to pay more as they appreciate the comprehensive treatment they received,” she said when winding up the debate on the Health White Paper in the Dewan Rakyat today.  

The Health White Paper was then passed by the Dewan Rakyat after being debated non-stop for three hours by 30 MPs from both the government and opposition blocs, during which they brought up reviewing the current fee structure, which some felt would affect Malaysians, especially those in need. 

Muhyiddin Yassin (Pagoh-PN) asked that the proposal to raise treatment fees be deferred and reviewed as it would burden the people who were struggling with rising prices of daily necessities, inflation and the Overnight Policy Rate, while Hassan Abdul Karim (Pasir Gudang-PH) agreed, stating that the fees, which have never been raised, should be retained to help Malaysians. 

Zaliha also said the government would pool various healthcare funding sources together to ensure that it was more efficient and effective, in line with the third pillar of the white paper – to ensure that healthcare costs were sustainable and fair. 

She said the white paper would outline the current status, differences, and weaknesses faced by the national healthcare system and structural and systemic solutions, including reforming service delivery, financing, and governance in phases for a period of 15 years. – Bernama, June 15, 2023.