KUALA LUMPUR: The government's proposed MediAsas health insurance and takaful plan is expected to carry a basic monthly premium starting from around RM65, says Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.
The Health Minister said that while the price is not yet set in stone, he assured that the plan will be an affordable option for middle-income Malaysians.
He added that the MediAsas plan is currently preparing to undergo a pilot proof-of-concept test to assess its effectiveness before being introduced nationwide.
"The basic premium price range will start at around RM65, depending on the type of product.
"However, we will make modifications wherever needed but, in principle, it will be affordable," Dzulkefly told the Dewan Rakyat during Minister's Question Time on Tuesday (July 14).
Dzulkefly said the government was still determining the plan's conditions, pricing structure and inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure it meets the needs of Malaysians.
He noted that MediAsas was designed to complement, rather than replace, Malaysia's existing tax-funded public healthcare system.
"Everything is still in the process of being determined – the conditions, pricing and inclusion and exclusion criteria.
"But it must be emphasised, MediAsas plan will not replace but complement the public healthcare system, which will continue to provide Universal Health Coverage for all Malaysians," he added.
Dzulkefly was responding to a supplementary question from Azli Yusof (PH-Shah Alam) on details of the basic premium price and whether all private hospitals would be involved.
Announced on July 6, the MediAsas Health Insurance programme is expected to begin its pilot phase at the end of this month involving six insurers together with selected private hospitals in the Klang Valley.
The full nationwide rollout of MediAsas is currently slated for January 2027.
