In Depth Solutions Needed For Better And Affordable Healthcare In The Country

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MEDICAL insurance premiums have spiralled beyond control and if nothing is done to reduce the premiums more people will opt out if it becomes unaffordable.
For a long time private hospitals have been charging their patients way beyond what is needed to run a hospital efficiently and profitably.
The government by being a bystander over this issue for decades has gradually allowed it to get out of hand by taking only superficial measures such as by involving Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) in the present scenario.
It is now being forced to do something proactive if not drastic. The healthcare business has been a big profit-making entity and with the help of the medical insurance providers – who were colluding with private hospitals to convince the masses that medical insurance has become big essential necessity – it has been assured of a ballooning number of the insured and with an exponentially increasing revenue and profit for its shareholders.
The government cannot leave the people in the lurch and will have to provide a viable alternative for those seeking much-needed medical treatment.
The government needs to open more private treatment facilities and centres in the government hospital in various districts and not confine this to only a select few urban hospitals.
More private treatment centres in the government hospital will stop the drain of the never- ending exodus of specialists who continue to seek employment in the more lucrative and remunerative private hospitals.
By opening the private treatment centres in government hospitals the government will be able to provide an ideal solution to a long standing problem.
In fact, a Donald Trump-like solution is the best way to address this recurring problems. The specialists could be offered higher remuneration based on the number of surgeries or treatment done.
With more people flocking to government hospitals to avail of this facility, the government can retain the services of the specialists.
The main reason why specialists opt for the private sector is due to the higher remuneration and nothing else.
The government is unable to match the private sector’s specialist salaries mainly due to the pension, employment security and other factors as specialist salaries will be very high and this will affect the pension scheme.
In the private sector the specialists are covered by the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) scheme where both hospital and the specialists contribute.
By offering the government specialists the basic salaries and other incidental allowances and adding the amount earned from giving specialist treatment in the private facility, the government can more than match the private sector remuneration scheme.
If it becomes necessary to retain more specialists in government hospitals, a complementary EPF scheme can be added as an incentive.
Additionally, insurance for medical negligence and other problems is covered and compensated by the government. This important advantage must be considered by the government hospital specialists.
The government can make specialist treatment cost-effective as it has the full range of staff, equipment and other facilities.
The cost of an operation in government hospitals based on the economy of scale will be lower and more people will frequent these centres and the specialists will correspondingly get a higher amount perhaps even higher than in the private sector.
Private hospitals will begin to pay less for specialists when they find fewer patients opting for treatment there.
Many surgeries and treatments can be done in government hospitals at a fraction of the private hospital costs. Patients who are covered by medical insurance can be billed to pay more unlike those from the subsidised B40.
Soon a lot of people who are covered by medical insurance could opt for government hospitals. Insurers need to come up with two categories of medical insurance, one for those who opt for government hospitals and thereby pay a lower premium and the other for those who opt to receive treatment at private hospitals.
The government cannot simply appear helpless to control healthcare costs, which is an important component of social wellbeing.
As such, it needs to think of ways to beat the private hospitals in their own game. It is also time that the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) speaks more in favour and be appreciative of government-supported healthcare instead of justifying the practices of the private hospitals.
The MMA should also boldly come up with proactive solutions for government-funded healthcare as it is in a better position to know what ails the system to the extent that people, despite being financially constrained, are forced to opt for private healthcare and its exorbitant costs. 
V. Thomas is a Focus Malaysia viewer.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.
- Focus Malaysia.

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