Govt urged to regulate medical care costs at private hospitals

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- The government has been urged to regulate medical care costs in private hospitals to a more affordable level to curb influx of patients in government hospitals.

“Government hospitals are now flooded with too many patients, so it is necessary to consider regulating the cost of medical treatment at private hospitals.

“This will indirectly curb the issue of migration of private patients to government hospitals due to higher treatment costs,” said Senator Lim Pay Heng when debating the proposed mid-term Review of the 11th Malaysia Plan at the Dewan Negara, here today.

The government should also revise the Health Transformation Plan by placing higher targets in the wider use of preventative measures than treatment, he said.

He acknowledged the government's efforts to increase the number of beds in government hospitals, saying there were 130 government hospitals nationwide with 37,470 beds while the number of private hospitals was 200 with 14,799 beds.

-- BERNAMA