KUALA LUMPUR: Patients will soon be able to make more informed decisions about their insurance and private healthcare costs with tools such as a health insurance calculator.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said insurance and takaful associations will launch a health insurance/takaful calculator to help Malaysians plan monthly savings for premiums and co-payments throughout their coverage period.
“Furthermore, to increase transparency, the industry has published price ranges for 26 common medical procedures at private hospitals, showing ranges of prices by location and age group, plus average length of stay,” he said during a joint-press conference with the Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan here on Thursday (Jan 22).
The health insurance and takaful calculator is expected to be launched in February, he added.
Dzulkefly said the Financial Education Network (FEN) has published a “MHIT Made Simple” guide to help consumers purchase insurance products and make claims with greater confidence.
“These initiatives will empower consumers to make informed choices that support sustainable, value-based healthcare. The resources will be available on the FEN website, mobile applications and industry association platforms,” he added.
Dzulkefly stressed that healthcare delivery must be modernised, with innovation remaining firmly patient-centric.
“In 2026, in addition to progressing the pilot for the base MHIT plan, we will advance three critical initiatives to lower barriers and drive this modernisation,” he said.
The first involves unlocking the market for affordable care, including a review of private healthcare licensing to ensure regulations and processes are fit for purpose, while reducing red tape without compromising safety.
“Our goal is to spur investment in cost-efficient models such as ambulatory care centres, bringing affordable services closer to the rakyat,” he said.
Hospital billing structures will also be revamped.
“I am pleased to note that private hospitals and insurers have come together for this major exercise. This is not about increasing total bills, but about creating cost-reflective, fair and transparent billing so patients clearly understand what they are paying for,” he said.
As part of the third initiative, which focuses on digital connectivity, Dzulkefly said electronic medical records (EMR) will allow patient records to be accessed across both public and private healthcare systems, reducing the need for costly and duplicative diagnostic tests.
