KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — The proposed “1 Care” healthcare scheme will not inflict unnecessary financial costs on Malaysians, Bernama Online reported the Health Ministry as saying today.
In a statement issued today, director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said discussions and consultations on the financial aspects of the scheme as well as the implications to the government and taxpayers were currently ongoing.
“Thus, any assumption or conjecture on the mode of financial impact for the individual taxpayer is very premature at this stage, as discussions are being held at the moment to ensure a positive and workable model,” the news portal quoted Dr Hasan as saying in the statement.
Dr Hasan said healthcare costs are projected to escalate in general and that the scheme is to ensure the health of Malaysians is looked after in spite of the rising cost of living.
“1 Care” aims to give all Malaysians comprehensive health-related coverage and care as well as more choice, including the chance to choose their own family GP, he added.
Dr Hasan also said the ministry has drafted a concept paper and formed 11 key technical groups and committees to formulate the proposed scheme, which was first presented to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and members of the Economic Council in August 2009.
The Malaysian Insider understands that “1 Care” is modelled in its entirety after the United Kingdom’s National Healthcare Service (NHS), a publicly-funded healthcare system, and was mooted in the 10th Malaysia Plan for the Health Ministry’s 2011-2015 strategic plan.
It is believed that the five-phase scheme has already entered its third phase, and the full initiative, post engagement with doctors and pharmacists nationwide, is due to be presented to the Cabinet by March.
According to a member of “Citizens’ Healthcare Coalition” (CHC), the group behind the “Tak Nak 1 Care” campaign, “1 Care” will replace Malaysia’s current two-tier (public and private) healthcare system by integrating both private and government hospitals, in hopes of ensuring more “equitable” healthcare for Malaysians across all socio-economic statuses.
With “1 Care”, CHC said it would be made compulsory for all wage earners, excluding government servants and pensioners, and businesses to contribute 10 per cent of their monthly income to a government-run Social Healthcare Insurance (SHI).
