KUALA LUMPUR: The government's proposed health insurance scheme, to be funded through Account 2 of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), will be voluntary and not mandatory, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad says.
The Health Minister said the initiative aims to offer EPF contributors the option of broader insurance coverage, as currently, 32% of healthcare costs are paid out-of-pocket by patients without insurance protection.
ALSO READ: Ageing society will deeply affect healthcare and workforce, says EPF chairman
"Through this approach, the government hopes to expand access to faster, higher-quality private healthcare without increasing the financial burden on the people," he said in a Facebook post on Friday (June 20).
Dr Dzulkefly added that the proposal draws inspiration from countries like Singapore, which prioritise insurance access for the majority of citizens.
"It doesn't come out of their pockets. Only about 1% of Account 2 would be used to pay for insurance. This is the best way," he said.
On Thursday, Dr Dzulkefly was reported as saying that the government is considering allowing Malaysians to use their EPF Account 2 to pay monthly health insurance premiums.
If implemented, it would enable 16 million EPF members to utilise their contributions to access private hospital care. - Bernama
