KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry is looking into rationalising healthcare subsidies in a bid to deliver value-based healthcare, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
The Health Minister said they are also ready to conduct a study to identify the number of T15 patients seeking treatment at public health facilities.
He said health services provided by the ministry are heavily subsidised by the government.
"Take a caesarean surgery for example – first-class admission costs RM1,200, second class RM400 and third class RM100," he said in Parliament during his winding-up speech on the Supply Bill 2025 on Tuesday (Nov 12).
He said this only accounts for 10% of the actual cost whereas a first-class admission without subsidies amounts to RM12,000.
As for the Rakan KKM programme, Dzulkefly said it is not a private programme nor a public-private partnership but is instead a programme to attract investment from government-linked investment companies to provide paid premium services.
He said with revenue generated through the programme, the ministry would be able to retain healthcare workers and cross-subsidise public healthcare facilities.
"It is very specialist- and healthcare-worker driven.
"It differs from the private wing which relies on funds from consolidated funds," he said.
Five hospitals will be part of the programme, and RM25mil has been allocated under Budget 2025.
He assured the cost for such services would be reasonable.
As for private healthcare, Dzulkefly said the government only controls professional fees under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998.
"Medical inflation is high because prices are laissez-faire and there is no direct intervention by the government," he said.
Dzulkefly added that starting next year, private healthcare facilities will have to display the prices of medicines.
This will be conducted under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act.
He said this would help patients check the cost of medicines, ease insurance claims, and ensure that prices are not increased exorbitantly.
