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

The Ministry of Health (MOH) is actively planning and projecting healthcare service needs to address a potential increase in patient numbers at public hospitals due to rising health insurance costs.

Director-General Datuk Dr. Mahathar Abd Wahab emphasized that these projections are integral to both day-to-day and long-term planning, including financial considerations.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, MOH is addressing concerns over significant annual increases in insurance costs through initiatives like the Medi-Asas programme, aimed at providing more affordable health coverage.

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

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由于医疗保险费用上涨，公立医院的患者人数可能会增加，卫生部正在积极规划和预测医疗保健服务需求。

总监拿督马哈塔·阿卜杜勒·瓦哈卜博士强调，这些预测对于日常运营和长期规划（包括财务方面的考虑）都至关重要。

卫生部与财政部合作，通过 Medi-Asas 计划等举措，解决保险成本每年大幅上涨的问题，旨在提供更实惠的医疗保障。

乔治市，9月13日讯——卫生部正在不断规划和预测医疗保健服务需求，以应对医疗保险费用上涨可能导致公立医院患者数量增加的情况。

卫生总监拿督马哈塔·阿卜杜勒·瓦哈卜医生表示，此类规划和预测是公共医疗保健部门日常和长期规划的一部分，包括满足医疗保健服务需求变化所需的资金。

“在医疗保健领域，特别是公共部门，我们会在日常和长期规划中做出预测，以预测可能发生的事情等等。

“这些预测是规划和政府财政支持的基础之一，以确保满足医疗保健服务需求，”他在今天为2026年马来西亚创伤大会（MTC）揭幕后告诉记者。

他此番回应是针对有关 KSI 亚太战略研究所所长丹斯里杨明哲的报道。报道援引杨明哲的话说，医疗保险费用每年上涨高达 20%，这令人越来越担忧，需要认真对待，以防止公众的经济负担进一步恶化。

马哈塔医生表示，卫生部也注意到有报道称医疗保险费用每年上涨高达 20%，这可能会给公众带来更大的经济负担，并影响对公共医疗保健服务的需求。

他表示，卫生部和财政部正在通过一个联合委员会共同研究这个问题，其中包括政府的 Medi-Asas 计划，这是一项保险和伊斯兰保险医疗保障计划，旨在为马来西亚人提供更实惠、更可持续的医疗保障。

他说：“至于保险及相关事宜，这些更多属于其他监管机构的管辖范围，例如保费等方面。”——马新社

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