KUALA LUMPUR: The government has been urged to introduce a price control policy in private hospitals as a primary step to regulate the charges or costs of medical treatment, which are said to be continuously on the rise in these hospitals, said Dewan Negara member, Senator Datuk Sivaraj Chandran.
He said Malaysia could emulate neighbouring countries, such as Singapore, which control treatment charges through the national MediShield Life scheme.
Additionally, he also proposed the introduction of an affordable basic insurance plan to help the M40 and B40 groups who are increasingly affected by the rise in health insurance premiums.
"Insurance companies should be encouraged to offer basic plans with lower premiums, especially for the M40 and B40. Countries like Germany and the Netherlands have long practiced this method," he said in a statement to Bernama.
In efforts to curb the migration of specialist doctors from the public sector to the private sector, Sivaraj urged the government to increase salaries, facilities, and career opportunities for doctors in the public service.
"Such incentives are important to ensure specialist doctors remain in the public sector and provide quality services to the public who rely on government hospitals," he explained.
He also suggested that Malaysia consider implementing a national health insurance scheme based on the concept of "risk pooling" like in Singapore, to ensure that all citizens receive adequate basic health protection.
"Through national health insurance, the burden of medical costs can be distributed fairly, while also providing health protection guarantees for all layers of society," he also said.
These measures, according to him, are critical in addressing the pressure on the national healthcare system and ensuring that medical costs do not continue to burden the people, especially the underprivileged.
"Health is a human right, not a commodity. We must act immediately to protect the people and ensure the country's healthcare system remains resilient," he added.-- BERNAMA