AN INDEPENDENT private healthcare commission should be established to tackle long-standing medical insurance problems, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Sim Tze Tzin (PH-Bayan Baru) said the commission could help resolve persistent issues such as patients being denied treatment or facing delays in private hospitals due to insurance clauses and the slow issuance of guarantee letters.
“Currently, the government has set up an inter-ministerial committee on medical and healthcare costs.
“But this committee is temporary in nature, and attention is still needed to address core structural issues.
“This is where the commission can step in to assist,” he said during the debate on the motion of thanks on Budget 2026 in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Sim cited reports of patients struggling to access private healthcare due to insurance-related complications.
“I propose that a national task force be formed by the Health Ministry, Bank Negara and the police to investigate the issues raised in the report.
“The specialists concerned should also be called in to have their statements recorded,” he said, adding that the report alleged interference by the insurance industry in private healthcare matters.
Sim also raised concern over the worsening brain drain among doctors and nurses, citing a recruitment advertisement by Singapore’s Health Ministry in August as an example.
“This is not an isolated case. Many of our medical officers and specialists have migrated to Singapore for work,” he said.
Sim urged Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad to outline measures to stem the outflow of Malaysian medical professionals.
