PETALING JAYA: Patients using guarantee letters for medical treatment at private hospitals face higher costs compared to those who opt for a pay-and-claim method, according to a recent study on hospital billing claims submitted to insurers and takaful operators (ITOs).
Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying highlighted the issue in the Dewan Rakyat, stating that the lack of transparency in hospital charges requires further investigation to understand the extent of these discrepancies and identify appropriate measures.
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“The government is aware of this issue, including the concerns raised by the public during the recent Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) public session on the matter.
Through the Health Ministry, the government is collaborating closely with relevant stakeholders, including the Finance Ministry, private hospitals, and ITOs, to find long-term solutions to address the issue,“ she said.
She added that tackling medical cost inflation at private hospitals is a government priority, with a focus on improving pricing transparency for medications and common procedures.
“The government will prioritise comprehensive health reforms to tackle medical cost inflation and charges at private hospitals, including increasing transparency in the pricing of medications and common medical procedures.
“An integrated action plan was already presented to the PAC yesterday,“ she stated
Responding to a question from Sim Tze Tzin (PH-Bayan Baru) on the most commonly claimed medical conditions, she shared that the top 10 included pneumonia, spine-related issues, digestive system problems, heart diseases, joint and ligament injuries, acute appendicitis, upper respiratory infections, ear, nose and throat diseases, as well as fever.
She stated that these findings were derived from the integrated claims database of the insurance and takaful industry, which analyzed hospital claims data from 2023.
The government is expected to further evaluate the pricing structure in private hospitals and explore strategies to prevent excessive charges for insured patients.
