Mma Welcomes Gp Fee Revision But Rm10 Minimum Disappointing

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BUDGET 2026 | The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has expressed mixed feelings towards Putrajaya’s proposal to revise the fee structure for private general practitioners (GPs).
On one hand, the professional body welcomed the move - the first in 17 years - which will allow GPs to charge up to RM80 for consultation, compared to its current RM50 cap.
On the other hand, MMA said it is disappointed with the plan to maintain the RM10 floor, arguing that this would see third-party administrators (TPAs) and companies that pay below RM35 for every consultation to continue the practice.
“We welcome the revision of GP consultation fees after 17 years, but the decision to maintain the RM10 minimum - unchanged since the 1992 MMA Fee Schedule - is deeply disappointing and fails to reflect the true value of GPs in delivering frontline care.
ADS“MMA has long called for a RM50 minimum, as over 60 percent of patients come through TPAs and companies that pay below RM35.
“With over 10,000 clinics nationwide, this low floor risks… financial strain, rendering the model unsustainable in the near future,” the group said in a statement.
TPA refers to companies that provide administrative services to self-insured companies, mainly in managing healthcare benefits for members of their clients’ organisations.
MMA previously complained about TPA and healthcare insurers, alleging that they have increasingly issued directives prioritising commercial interests over patient safety.
Healthcare initiatives in Budget 2026
The group was responding to the government’s Budget 2026 bill tabled by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim earlier today, which saw Putrajaya proposing a slew of initiatives to improve the healthcare system.
They include increasing the ceiling rate for GP consultation fees to RM80, increasing the number of permanent positions for government doctors, increasing the rate for government doctors’ on-call allowance, and initiatives to encourage the public to take up health insurance policies.
In response to the other initiatives, MMA lauded the proposal to increase on-call allowances and the creation of 4,500 more permanent positions for contract doctors.
“The creation of 4,500 permanent positions for contract doctors is another positive move that must be matched with proper long-term planning for other critical healthcare roles,” it said.
Meanwhile, the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM) commended the government for its plan to boost the country’s healthcare system.
It said the move to allow private hospitals to establish Hospital Welfare Funds would encourage more support from philanthropists to help patients with financial difficulty.
On the consultation fees, APHM said the new ceiling would “no doubt help support the sustainability of primary care services, which is critical to addressing medical cost inflation”. - Mkini

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