Health Ministry preparing for possible rise in public hospital patients amid soaring insurance costs

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 13 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) is constantly planning and projecting healthcare service requirements to prepare for a possible increase in the number of patients at public hospitals amid rising health insurance costs.

Director-General of Health Datuk Dr Mahathar Abd Wahab said such planning and projections formed part of the public healthcare sector’s day-to-day and long-term planning, including financial requirements to meet changes in demand for healthcare services.

“In the healthcare sector, particularly the public sector, we make projections as part of our day-to-day and long-term planning to anticipate what may happen and so on.

“These projections form one of the bases for planning and government financial support to ensure healthcare service needs can be met,” he told reporters after officiating the Malaysian Trauma Conference (MTC) 2026 here today.

He was responding to reports quoting KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific president Tan Sri Michael Yeoh as saying that health insurance costs, which have risen by up to 20 per cent annually, were becoming increasingly worrying and required serious attention to prevent the financial burden on the public from worsening.

Dr Mahathar said the ministry was also aware of concerns over reported increases of up to 20 per cent annually in health insurance costs, which could place a greater financial burden on the public and affect demand for public healthcare services.

He said MOH and the Ministry of Finance (MOF) were working together through a joint committee to look into the issue, including the government’s Medi-Asas programme, an insurance and takaful medical protection plan designed to provide Malaysians with access to more affordable and sustainable health coverage.

“As for insurance and related matters, these fall more under the purview of other agency that regulate aspects such as premiums,” he said. — Bernama