The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) said they will seek a meeting with the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi to explain revenue generation and sustainability of private hospitals.
This comes after a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur was fined RM200,000 for profiteering.
“Ministries and the public do not understand how private hospitals are run and how we sustain expenditure and stay afloat.
“We also want to emphasise and explain to the ministry that private hospitals are not retail outlets. We are healthcare service providers,” said APHM president Dr Kuljit Singh, as reported by the New Straits Times, today.
The association had decided to seek this meeting because there had not been any engagement between private hospitals and the ministry to explain the difference between healthcare service providers and retail outlets, Kuljit said.
However, he declined to answer whether this meant healthcare service providers were not bound by the same rules under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
He also said APHM was not involved in the matter between the private hospital that was fined and the ministry.
“We will leave it to the hospital to respond to the ministry.
“Our role is to address the concept of private hospital business with them (the ministry),” Kuljit said.
Previously, it was reported that a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur had been charged a compound of RM200,000 for inflating the price of face masks.
The hospital had purportedly charged RM11.20 for three-ply face masks, which has a ceiling price of RM1.50 each as set by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry.
The ministry had received a report from a patient who complained that he was charged RM201.60 for 18 pieces of face masks which were used in the patient’s treatment.
The private hospital has to pay the compound by May 28 or risk being taken to court. - Mkini
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