Poor likely to get health insurance scheme next year

Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad says talks to identify the implementation mechanism are being held and the scheme will be announced in Budget 2019.

Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.

PUTRAJAYA: The health ministry is at the final stage of discussions to implement an insurance scheme for the B40 bottom income group, as pledged in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) manifesto.

Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said the discussions were aimed to identify the implementation mechanism and the special features to be incorporated into the scheme.

“We will announce the scheme in Budget 2019 and expect to implement it early next year.

“We have discussed it with senior officials, including representatives of Bank Negara Malaysia and the finance ministry led by (special officer) Tony Pua,” he told a media conference after the ministry’s monthly assembly today.

Also present were the director of the practice and medicine division, Dr Razid Mohd Salleh, and deputy health director-general (medicine) Dr Azman Abu Bakar.

Dzulkefly said the scheme was an initial measure that would eventually be expanded to cover all income groups.

“This scheme is vastly different from the basic treatment scheme such as iCare implemented in the past. It will cover both treatment and medication,” he said. -FMT