KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 – Kuala Lumpur MP Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi supports the introduction of a national health insurance scheme as an aid to healthcare financing.
An opposition lawmaker who heads the healthcare portfolio of Perikatan Nasional (PN) said the current funding structure is insufficient to meet the country’s healthcare needs.
“I think it’s time to introduce a national health insurance scheme,” said Dr. Ahmad Yunus. code blue In an interview with Congress on March 28 last year, he said: it’s not enough. “
Health Minister Zariha Mustafa previously told Dewan Rakyat that a health white paper due to be submitted to parliament in June is expected to include recommendations on the implementation of a national health insurance programme.
The Galen Center for Health and Social Policy has established a salary-funded social health insurance plan of RM31.1 with a contribution rate similar to the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) of 11% from employees and 13% from employers. presumed to have the potential to produce $1 billion in funding for healthcare costs.
This will be in addition to the federal budget allocations received by the Ministry of Health (MOH).
“In a broad sense, I am very supportive of the National Health Insurance program. Regarding the contribution rate, whether it should be the same as the EPF rate, and whether it should be the same, both workers and employers should be thoroughly investigated. I think it is necessary to study
The PAS MP believes the government should continue to provide subsidies and assistance such as the Madani Medical Scheme to help people in the B40 income group who may not have the financial means to pay for medical care. .
“I think people in the M40 and T20 groups should be covered by the national health insurance system. I think now is the time for national health insurance.”
last September, code blueA survey of 529 respondents found that 72% supported compulsory social health insurance through payroll deduction.
The survey also showed that 92% agreed that the annual public health budget should be doubled to RM70 billion, or 5% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Nearly half (46.3%) of respondents also favored reinstating the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to boost public health budgets, while 88% said the Prime Minister’s Office quota should be reduced and diverted to the MOH. I hope
Dr Ahmad Yunus, a trained physician, added that revising MOH outpatient and specialist care costs to RM1 and RM5 respectively could also contribute to increased funding for the public health system. rice field.
“I think this RM1 fee has been built into our healthcare system for a long time. We should consider the possibility of increasing this fee to RM5, say RM10. , this issue needs to be properly assessed,” said Dr. Ahmad Yunus.
Former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin previously described the charges of RM1 and RM5 respectively for outpatient and specialist care at MOH’s health facilities as ‘unsustainable’.
Kylie said in Parliament that government collections from medical expenses of RM1 and RM5 as provided in the Fees (Healthcare) Order 1982 and the Fees (Healthcare) (Amendment) Order 2017 should not be spent on public health care. said it accounted for only 1% of the amount paid. .
