THE burden on patients who opt for private medical care in our country, particularly those who require high-cost and long-term care, is getting increasingly heavier. Majority of patients who seek private medical care are those who had purchased private healthcare insurance worth between RM30,000 and RM50,000 years or decades ago. An RM100,000 coverage policy which was considered more than adequate 20 years ago is now barely enough for a major illness with the accelerated inflation and exorbitant medical and hospitalisation bills in the last few years.
For those with chronic illnesses that require multiple admissions, it is rare nowadays to receive a bill of less than RM15,000 per admission, even without any operative procedures done. One major operation would render the patient financially bankrupt and unable to pursue follow-up adjuvant therapy.
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