Latest news with #Act586
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
Govt fine-tuning legal framework to curb rising private healthcare costs
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is reviewing existing legislation, including an amendment to the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586), to support the implementation of the Reset strategy aimed at curbing private healthcare inflation. Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Ministry of Health (MOH) is refining the legal framework to enable initiatives under Reset, including the introduction of the Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) payment system. "The MOH is currently reviewing relevant acts to align efforts to address medical inflation. Amendments to the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 are being studied and refined to allow for the implementation of the DRG payment system, which will require the sharing of minimum clinical and financial data, as well as other related initiatives under the Reset strategic framework. "The government will continue to consider amendments to other acts under the ministry's jurisdiction, if necessary, to empower the overall Reset strategy," he said in a written parliamentary reply. Anwar, who is also prime minister, said the Reset strategy comprises five strategic pillars and 11 key initiatives. The first pillar is the improvement of Medical and Health Insurance and Takaful (MHIT) through the development of a basic MHIT product that will modify MHIT product features and enable the setting of more sustainable and stable premium rates in the long term. He said the second pillar is increasing price transparency through the display of medicine prices and the publication of price ranges for common healthcare services to enable consumers to make informed decisions. "Third, strengthening the digital health ecosystem through electronic medical records to improve quality of care and reduce the need for repeated diagnostic tests. "Additionally, expanding cost-effective options through Rakan KKM and the provision of more affordable hospitals, including encouraging the expansion of non-profit hospitals. "Lastly, transforming the provider payment mechanism to a DRG system to ensure value-based healthcare payments that align with the interests of patients, healthcare providers, and payers," he said. He added that the implementation of Reset initiatives is monitored by the Joint Ministerial Committee on Private Healthcare Costs (JBMKKS), co-chaired by Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan and Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. He was responding to Sim Tze Tzin (PH-Bayan Baru) on the Reset strategy to address medical inflation.
Malaysiakini
5 hours ago
- Health
- Malaysiakini
Law reviews underway to tackle rising private healthcare costs: PM
The government is looking to amend existing laws, including the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586), as part of an overall strategy aimed at addressing rising private healthcare costs. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the Health Ministry is refining the legal framework to support the implementation of the Reset strategy, including adopting the Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) payment system.
The Star
7 hours ago
- Health
- The Star
Govt mulls law reform to support Reset strategy against private healthcare inflation
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is reviewing existing legislation, including a proposed amendment to the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586), to support the implementation of the Reset strategy aimed at curbing private healthcare inflation, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The Prime Minister said the Health Ministry is refining the legal framework to enable initiatives under RESET, including the introduction of the Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) payment system. Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the DRG system will require the sharing of minimum clinical and financial information to promote transparency and improve cost management. 'If necessary, the government will consider amendments to other related laws under the ministry's jurisdiction to empower the overall RESET strategy,' he said in a written parliamentary reply on Wednesday (July 30). Reset - introduced through a joint effort by Bank Negara Malaysia, the Health Ministry and the Finance Ministry - is a strategic framework comprising five core pillars and 11 key initiatives to address the rising costs of healthcare and private insurance. It stands for Revamp insurance and takaful products, Enhance transparency, Strengthen digital health systems, Expand affordable care and Transform provider payment. According to Anwar, the five pillars include revamping Medical and Health Insurance and Takaful (MHIT) by introducing a basic MHIT product to allow for more sustainable and stable premium pricing. Apart from that, he said it would enhance price transparency through drug price display and publication of service price ranges, as well as consistent medical inflation estimates and standardised healthcare cost data collection. 'The third pillar is on strengthening the digital health ecosystem via electronic medical records to improve care quality and reduce repeated diagnostic testing. 'Fourth is on expanding cost-effective options through affordable non-profit hospitals and public-private partnerships with the Health Ministry. 'Fifth, to transform provider payment mechanisms by shifting to the DRG system to align cost payments with value-based care,' he said. Anwar added that the rollout of Reset was overseen by the Joint Ministerial Committee on Private Healthcare Costs (JBMKKS), co-chaired by the Second Finance Minister and Health Minister. Its inaugural session was held on June 24 and includes stakeholders from private hospitals, healthcare professionals, insurers, consumer groups and academia, with input from relevant associations as needed.
Borneo Post
4 days ago
- Health
- Borneo Post
Medical association urges MoH to halt Poisons Act amendment
According to Dr Kalwinder, the current language in the Bill is 'overly broad-based'. KUCHING (July 27): The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has urged the Ministry of Health (MoH) and MPs to halt further readings of the Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2025 until a thorough consultation process has been undertaken. MMA president Dato Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira said the association acknowledged the government's intention of strengthening the enforcement, possibly in response to serious cross-border threats such as drug-smuggling, maritime trafficking or other reasons, which had not been made known. 'However, he argued that if this was the objective, then the reasons must be made clear and the scope of the amendment must be clearly and appropriately defined in the legislation. 'The fact that no consultation was held with medical stakeholders, is a major procedural oversight. 'These are not peripheral changes – they affect the daily operations of thousands of practitioners nationwide,' he said in a statement. According to Dr Kalwinder, the current language in the Bill is 'overly broad-based'. 'Clause 2's inclusion of all police officers as authorised officers and the new Section 31A, which allows the minister to appoint 'any person' without clear qualifications, raises serious concerns about unchecked enforcement power and the potential for disruption to licensed private healthcare facilities including GP (general practitioner's) clinics, mobile services and charity-based health initiatives.' Dr Kalwinder said the MMA was particularly troubled by the expanded definition of 'premises', which could subject legitimate medical facilities to be clumped together with those deemed criminal or non-healthcare related, and thus, subject to similar inspections or enforcement actions. He further pointed out that this would risk not only operational disruptions, but also violations of patients' confidentiality and trust. 'The Act must clearly delineate between enforcement aimed at criminal activity, and regulation of clinical practice. 'Private healthcare facilities are already under the ambit of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586) and enforcement by MoH. 'This should remain as it is,' stressed Dr Kalwinder. Nonetheless, he said MMA remained ready to engage in meaningful dialogue to ensure that public safety and professional integrity would both be protected. amendment lead Malaysian Medical Association Poisons Act
The Star
4 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Discuss Poisons Bill with stakeholders first, urges MMA
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has voiced strong concern over the Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2025, urging the government to halt its progress in Parliament until proper engagement is held with key players. Its president Datuk Dr Kalwinder Singh Khaira ( pic ) said the association, along with other medical professional bodies, was deeply concerned that the Bill had been tabled without prior consultation with key stakeholders, including the MMA. 'We acknowledge the government's intention to strengthen enforcement, possibly in response to serious cross-border threats such as drug smuggling or maritime trafficking. 'However, if this is indeed the rationale, it must be clearly stated and the scope of the amendments appropriately defined in the legislation,' he said in a statement on Friday. Dr Kalwinder said the language of the Bill was overly broad and raised red flags regarding enforcement powers and possible implications on private healthcare services. He pointed specifically to Clause 2, which designates all police officers as authorised officers under the Act, and the proposed Section 31A, which grants the Health Minister power to appoint 'any person' without specifying qualifications. 'These provisions raise serious concerns about unchecked enforcement authority and the potential disruption to legitimate private healthcare services, such as GP clinics, mobile services and charity-based health initiatives,' Dr Kalwinder said. He added that MMA also took issue with the expanded definition of 'premises' in the Bill, saying it could group licensed medical facilities together with non-healthcare-related or even criminal operations under the same enforcement scope. 'These risks are not only operational disruptions but also potential violations of patient confidentiality and public trust,' Dr Kalwinder said. He added that the absence of engagement with the medical fraternity represented a major procedural lapse, especially since the proposed changes would significantly impact the daily operations of thousands of healthcare practitioners nationwide. 'These are not peripheral changes,' he said, adding that the Health Ministry and MPs must delay any further readings of the Bill until a comprehensive consultation is held with the medical profession. Dr Kalwinder said the Act must make a clear distinction between enforcement aimed at criminal activity and regulation of clinical practice. He noted that private healthcare providers are already regulated under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586), with oversight from the Health Ministry. 'This arrangement should remain as it is,' he said as he warned against any overlap or overreach that could disrupt healthcare delivery, while reiterating MMA's readiness to engage in constructive dialogue on the matter.
