MediAsas Among Initiatives To Expand Healthcare Protection Access - Dzulkefly

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Bernama) -- The government is implementing several initiaties to ensure the M40 and B40 groups continue to have access to health protection, including introducing the MediAsas Plan, and strengthening the Healthcare Scheme for the B40 Group (PeKa B40), MADANI Healthcare Scheme and MySalam.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said MediAsas is one of the measures under the RESET framework to address the rising cost of private medical care, particularly by providing more affordable health protection options for the M40 group.

He said that MediAsas is a medical insurance and takaful plan with affordable premium rates, which will gradually integrate  the Diagnosis Related Group (DRG)-based payment mechanism at private hospitals.

“It must be stressed that the MediAsas Plan does not replace but complements the public healthcare system, which will continue to provide Universal Health Coverage for all Malaysians and is already funded through Malaysia’s tax revenue.

‘The MediAsas Plan was introduced to complement the existing coverage with the aim of expanding coverage and options for the M40 group,” he said when responding to a question from Datuk Abdul Khalib Abdullah (BN-Rompingh) regarding measures to address private healthcare inflation and strengthen the national health protection scheme in the Dewan Rakyat today.

The MediAsas Plan will be launched as a pilot programme in the Klang Valley involving six insurance and takaful companies at the end of this month before being expanded nationwide from January 2027.

Dzulkefly said the RESET framework also encompasses the interoperability of electronic medical records to reduce duplication of medical tests and scans, as well as the restructuring of private hospital bills.

He said the B40 group remains protected through a network of 154 hospitals and over 3,000 public healthcare facilities, in addition to facilities such as PeKa B40, the MADANI Healthcare Scheme and MySalam.

He added that MediAsas, meanwhile, focuses on the M40 group, who need private healthcare protection options at more manageable costs, including taking into account issues of pre-existing conditions, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health challenges.

-- BERNAMA