Putrajaya should introduce price control for medicine and private hospital treatment as charges have soared by 40% or more in some locations in the past 10 years, DAP said today.

Kampar MP Dr Ko Chung Sen said the cost of private healthcare had become increasingly prohibitive, especially for Malaysians without medical insurance.

“Although government hospitals provide good general care at a low price, there is a severe shortage of specialists in many areas," said Dr Ko, a heart surgeon.

He said only 30 out of the 200 cardiologists in Malaysia served in government hospitals while the rest were in the private sector.

“Long queues at government hospitals have forced many patients to pay for private hospital treatment by borrowing from friends, relatives and even loan sharks.

"Even patients with medical insurances need additional funds as the hospital bills nowadays exceeds the annual insurance coverage of RM30,000 to RM60,000," he said said in a statement today.

Dr Ko said cancer sufferers had to pay between RM10,000 and RM20,000 a month to undergo the latest treatment.

The total outlay could reach a few hundred thousand ringgit, Dr Ko said, adding that the cost of medical treatment was a major cause of bankruptcy in the country.

"Insurance companies have increased their premiums as they are finding it difficult to cope with the ever-increasing medical bills because of the latest advances in technologies and treatments."

Dr Ko said Putrajaya did not control private hospital charges despite fixing the fees of private doctors. In the past decade, private hospital treatment charges have increased by 40%.

"Malaysians pay up to 148% higher prices for medicine compared with developed countries like Australia because of a lack of government price control.

"The hike in electricity tariffs and fuel prices coupled with the goods and services tax (GST) will cause private hospital treatment charges to soar higher," he added.

If Malaysia signs the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), medicine prices will go up.

source:MJNnews