Socso dialysis treatment cost may exceed RM500m in 10 years - Sivakumar

 

The dialysis treatment cost for Social Security Organisation (Socso) contributors is expected to exceed RM500 million over the next 10 years, said Human Resources Minister V Sivakumar.

He said that in 1999, when the service was first offered, Socso spent RM1.12 million on dialysis treatments for its contributors, and that the cost increased to RM334.67 million last year.

“I have been informed that, as of May 2023, Socso has spent RM145.3 million on dialysis treatment and the cost is expected to continue to increase.

“"This is due to the fact that every year Socso receives between 2,000 and 3,000 new applications for dialysis treatment in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Penang,” he told a press conference after the official opening of the Socso Klang Office and the Socso Klang Dialysis Centre in Klang today.

In the meantime, Sivakumar (above) said Socso planned to open more dialysis centres, including in Seberang Jaya, Penang; Kuantan, Pahang; Terengganu; Kuala Lumpur; Sabah and Sarawak; in order to provide sustainable social security protection to its contributors.

“With its own dialysis centres, Socso can cut costs, which keep on increasing from year to year. It will also ease the patient’s burden because the centres are not aimed at making profits,” he said.

Sivakumar also urged insured persons covered by Socso to take advantage of the organisation’s free health screening for contributors aged between 40 and 59.

“Based on an analysis of 27,152 individuals last year, it was found that 42 percent of workers have obesity problems, 14.1 percent of workers have diabetes, 27.9 percent have hypertension and 61.2 percent have a high cholesterol level. So we urge contributors to go for the health screening,” he said.

- Bernama