Malaysian Medical Fees Continue to Rise

the star 22 sept 2013

The Malaysian Medical Association wants to increase the fees for specialists procedures.

The MMA is asking for a steep 30% in the fees. However it feels that the rise is not the major contributor to the medical expenses. According to MMA president, the procedure fees is only about 20% of the total cost. The main rise was caused by the practices of the hospitals, who are charging higher fees for the services and other item. The increase is justified as the cost of living has increase and doctors are faced with higher operating cost, example the insurance fees for a plastic surgeon is about rm6000 per amnum.

Another association, TPA, who medical claims for companies, believes that the doctors have been compensated enough as the number of patients has increased. As the volumes increased, the total revenue for the doctors have also increase.

TPA also claimed the total fees a patient will be paying can be 200% higher that the current rate. Beside the requested 30% increase, the groupings of the procedures have also changed. Some procedures considered minor previously are change to major.