Bersatu MP moots national health financing scheme to help patients struggling to foot their bills

Muhammad Yusry
·1-min read

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 — Tanjong Karang MP Datuk Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi today proposed for the government to establish a national health financing scheme.

The proposal comes in the wake of a recent incident that resulted in the delayed burial of a newborn.

“In light of these pressing issues, Tanjong Karang proposes an immediate and comprehensive solution to address the health financing crisis by establishing the national health financing scheme action committee to discuss six key areas,” he said in a press conference at Parliament.

Dr Dzulkafperi from Bersatu said priority should be given for his proposal to ensure that healthcare is made affordable to all, amid spotlight on plans to increase medical insurance premiums.

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He suggested a special agency under the Prime Minister’s Office to oversee the scheme’s implementation.

He believes his scheme would relieve the financial burden on public hospitals.

With the scheme in place, he said “the MOH’s operating expenditure burden could be reduced from 85.07 per cent in 2025 to 57 per cent, allowing the development budget to increase from 14.9 per cent to 43 per cent or higher.”

Yesterday, an Opposition MP called on the Health Ministry to investigate Hospital Bersalin Razif, a private hospital in Selangor that allegedly withheld returning a dead newborn to its parents due to unpaid bills.

The hospital has denied any misconduct, saying the family has been allowed to bury the child while discussing payment arrangements.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad confirmed that the ministry, through the Private Medical Practice Control Division, has initiated an investigation into the allegations.

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