Better-Access-To-Healthcare: 1Malaysia Clinic

Aziz Fikry Mohammad 03 Feb 2011 07:12 PM Commented on www.1Malaysia.com.my regarding the recently launched 1Malaysia Clinic, a PM's initiative in providing Better-Access-To-Healthcare
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A longer term solution should take the form of a national health insurance scheme for all citizens, starting with the more organized (hence more manageable) target groups such as the FELDA & FELCRA participants, Amanah Ikhtiar & relevant Zakat beneficiaries, fisherman association NEKMAT members, registered students, pensioners of public service, PNB & Tabung Haji account holders, OKUs, as well as all those who have registered with Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat.

Funding - joint contributions from Perkeso/Socso, KWSP, FELDA, FELCRA, PNB, and the relevant GLCS and multinational corporations (as corporate citizens of 1MALAYSIA) + a nominal sum from members of the target groups.

Administration: through a takaful scheme to be jointly managed by several insurance conglomerates

This should remove pressures on the presently overloaded public (govt.) health service since treatments for outpatients could be obtained for FREE from virtually all govt. (including medical faculties of universities) and registered private clinics & hospitals (including 1Malaysia clinics), while the prescriptions (not a major portion of the health expenditure) could be purchased from any pharmacy - not unlike the British National Health Service. The critical coverage is for admissions to hospitals (govt. or private as deemed fit by the relevant panel). To the private/commercial medical service providers (including pharmacies), this could rejuvenate the industry.