MediAsas to be launched in January, says Anwar

 The prime minister says EPF members under 55 can use their Akaun Sejahtera savings to pay MediAsas premiums.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said MediAsas will feature standardised hospital charges based on diagnosis and treatment type to make medical costs more predictable and easier to control.

PETALING JAYA:

MediAsas, the government’s new affordable basic medical insurance and takaful plan, will be launched in January, says Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat today, he said the plan will feature standardised hospital charges based on diagnosis and treatment type to make medical costs more predictable and easier to manage.

Anwar said Employees Provident Fund members aged below 55 would be allowed to use their Akaun Sejahtera savings to pay MediAsas premiums.

“For small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 75 employees, the government will subsidise first-year premiums at RM200 per worker, capped at 50 employees per company.

“This is expected to benefit up to 200,000 SME workers,” he was quoted by Bernama as saying in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Digital healthcare initiatives

Anwar said the electronic medical records system will also be expanded based on the “one individual, one record” principle to increase transparency in the country’s private medical services.

“From 2027, private hospital bills will use standardised, transparent fee categories to help patients understand each charge and reduce price distortions.

“The e-CKAPS portal is also being developed to allow private healthcare facilities to obtain licences fully online from 2027, with the aim of reducing processing time by up to 65%,” he said.

Other medical initiatives

Anwar said the government was expanding assistance to help underprivileged citizens obtain medical treatment, including increasing the Medical Assistance Fund allocation from RM40 million to RM60 million.

He said RM80 million had been allocated under PeKa B40 for free health screenings, medical equipment assistance and cancer treatment incentives for Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah recipients and their spouses aged 40 and above.

Anwar said the fertility treatment assistance and infertility advocacy programmes will offer affordable fertility treatment to 2,000 couples and wellness services to 42,000 men.

He said free thalassaemia screening would be expanded to the husbands and children of carriers to reduce the risk of children being born with severe thalassaemia.

On hospital congestion, Anwar said the allocation to outsource patients to other hospitals has been increased to RM200 million to reduce waiting times.

He said cooperation would be expanded to facilitate the public sector’s use of private healthcare facilities, including operating theatres, while related programmes will cover expanded newborn screening, prenatal genetic testing and rehabilitation services. - FMT