Latest news with #FederationofPrivateMedicalPractitioners'AssociationsMalaysia
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
GPs: Outdated fees make practice a hard pill to swallow
KUALA LUMPUR: Outdated consultation fees and rising operational costs are squeezing general practitioners (GPs), forcing them to see more patients daily just to stay afloat. Consultation fees are regulated under Schedule 7 of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Regulations. The fees were last revised in 1992, before construction of the Petronas Twin Towers, and are fixed between RM10 and RM35. The government is currently studying a possible increase. Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations Malaysia president Dr Shanmuganathan T.V. Ganesan said a typical clinic needed at least RM40,000 a month to operate. This covers rent, wages, utilities, maintenance, medical supplies and statutory contributions, excluding the GP owner's or doctors' salaries and loan repayments. Dr Shanmuganathan said based on a flat RM30 consultation fee per patient, and excluding revenue from medicine or additional services, a GP would need to see about 53 patients a day to break even — nearly three times the actual average. "Unfortunately, consultation fees are no longer sufficient to sustain clinic operations. "Rising costs in wages, medical consumables, digital systems and regulatory compliance, especially with new price display mandates, have compounded the financial burden," he told the New Straits Times. The Malaysian Medical Association has called for a minimum RM60 consultation fee. On Thursday, the association urged the government to expedite cabinet approval for the revised rates, warning that continued delays could threaten the survival of private clinics nationwide. On May 3, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad indicated that revisions would be finalised within a month. Dr Shanmuganathan said many patients required time-consuming consultations, counselling and emergency care, services that are often uncompensated. Clinics are also required to stock life-saving medications, many of which have short shelf lives and go unused. Former Johor assemblyman and practising GP Dr Boo Cheng Hau said a sustainable clinic needed to see at least 15 patients a day, five to six days a week, charging RM70 to RM100 per visit, including medication. He said the public must be educated on what constitutes a fair consultation fee. "For instance, for uncomplicated cough and cold cases, the market price in my area is about RM70 to RM80, inclusive of consultation and medication." he said. "Often, doctors have to lower their consultation fees to meet market demand, as medication costs exceed the consultation fee itself." PROFITS FROM MEDICINES Dr Shanmuganathan said many clinics were not operating on conventional "profits", as current consultation fees alone cannot sustain operations. To stay afloat, clinics often rely on modest profits from medicine sales. "This is not profiteering, but a pragmatic workaround in a system that restricts doctors from transparently charging for other professional services, such as nursing care, regulatory compliance, equipment use or consumables," he said. He estimated that a clinic spending RM12,000 per month on medicine stock might generate RM15,000 to RM17,000 in revenue, leaving a slim profit margin of RM3,000 to RM5,000. Additional revenue comes from procedural fees, health screenings and medical report preparation, but these are irregular and often underpriced due to market pressure. Dr Shanmuganathan said the recent implementation of medicine price display mandates had worsened matters. The Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy previously warned that the rule could lead more consumers to request prescriptions and buy medicines at lower prices from pharmacies. Its chief executive, Azrul Mohd Khalib, said while patients had every right to do so, this trend could undermine clinics' sustainability, as consultation fees remained low. "GPs hesitate to itemise every charge — nursing, registration, equipment use — for fear of alienating patients or appearing to overcharge," he said. AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION Both Dr Shanmuganathan and Dr Boo said Malaysia should adopt a national health scheme to address the crisis. In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service is funded primarily through general taxation, supported by National Insurance contributions. These fund services such as GP visits, hospital care and prescriptions. In November 2023, then health minister Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa said Malaysia was exploring a national health insurance scheme involving contributions from employees, employers and the government. However, it has yet to materialise. Dr Boo said insurance policies must also cover outpatient management and GP visits, not just hospitalisation. He urged the government to raise its health spending from four per cent of the gross domestic product to between five and 10 per cent, in line with advanced nations. Dr Shanmuganathan added that such a scheme was necessary to strengthen healthcare financing and service delivery. He also proposed revising the GP consultation fee range to between RM50 and RM100, depending on case complexity. "It is important to recognise that these fees represent payment for the doctor's professional services and should not be subject to arbitrary discrimination," he said. "Doctors with the same qualifications should be paid fairly and equitably for the same scope of work."
Rakyat Post
21-05-2025
- Health
- Rakyat Post
Private Clinic Fees Could Rise Up To 30% Under New Price Ruling
Subscribe to our FREE Treatment charges at clinics and hospitals could hike up by as much as thirty percent in the near future thanks to a new pricing directive that's being enforced, private medical practitioners warned. The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) said clinics are now required to itemise charges that were bundled under single fee, and this means patients would bear the brunt of the cost increase, New Straits Times FPMPAM's president, Dr Shanmuganathan T.V. Ganeson explained that the new price display rule has disrupted the current billing system – consultation, treatment, and medication were all charged together previously. 'Clinics now have to unbundle costs, including operating expenses, which must be separately listed on the bill,' he said. An Utusan Malaysia report said the estimated patient charges could go up by 10 to 30 percent depending on the type of treatment and medication. Essentially, a standard consultation may cost RM10 to RM30 more than before. Private medical practitioners were not happy that the new rule was placed under an Act made for retail goods On 6 May, about 200 general practitioners (GP) gathered in front of the Prime Minister's office, seemingly to protest against a new rule that requires private clinics to display prices of medicine. The regulation was part of a broader set of anti-profiteering laws. That was the real reason behind the protest. The GPs were unhappy that the rule was being enforced under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (Act 723), and was calling for the government to put it under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586) instead. In a statement, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) said the consequence of being subjected to both Act 723 and Act 586 could result in enforcement overlaps. They also noted that Act 723 was designed for retail businesses, and are concerned that the overlap may cause confusion. READ MORE: Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
New Straits Times
20-05-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
Clinic bills set to soar: Doctors warn of 30pct hike under new pricing rule
PETALING JAYA: Private medical practitioners have warned that treatment charges at clinics and hospitals could rise by as much as 30 per cent due to the enforcement of a new pricing directive. The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) said that patients would bear the brunt of the cost increase, as clinics were now required to itemise charges that were previously bundled under a single fee. Its president Dr Shanmuganathan T.V. Ganeson said that the new rule disrupted the existing billing system, in which consultation, treatment, and medication were charged together. "Clinics now have to unbundle costs, including operating expenses, which must be separately listed on the bill," said Dr Shanmuganathan. According to Utusan Malaysia, estimates suggest that patient charges could rise by between 10 and 30 per cent, depending on the type of treatment and medication. In some cases, a standard consultation may cost RM10 to RM30 more than before. On May 6, some 200 doctors gathered at Laman Perdana near Perdana Putra in Putrajaya to protest the new directive. The group assembled at 9.30am before a 10-member delegation, led by Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) representative Datuk Dr R. Thirunavukarasu, entered the Prime Minister's Office to submit a memorandum. The protesters urged the government to review Act 723 and place regulation of medical practice solely under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586), which they argued was sufficient for the sector. While protests continue, most private clinics have already begun displaying medicine prices, as required. Bundled billing remains in place at many clinics for the time being, pending a decision from the Health Ministry. Patients may begin to see higher bills as early as August if no changes are introduced during the grace period. "Once the grace period ends, clinics will be required to provide a full breakdown of all charges," Dr Shanmuganathan said. The price display requirement, gazetted on May 1, falls under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (Act 723) and is enforced by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry. It applies to all private clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies.
The Star
17-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Itemised billing upon request at private clinics not a new requirement, says Health Ministry
PETALING JAYA: Itemised billing for patients at private clinics, which must be given if requested, is an existing requirement provided by law, says the Health Ministry. In a statement on Saturday (May 17), the ministry's pharmacy practice and development division said private clinics must prepare an itemised bill without additional charges to allow patients to understand the details of services provided as well as charges for treatment and medicine. "The patient's right to receive itemised bills is a matter provided for under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services (Private Hospitals and Other Private Healthcare Facilities) Regulations 2006. "The ministry would like to inform that there are no changes in policy or new announcements in relation to the implementation of itemised billing by private clinics," it said, adding this was to remove any confusion over the issue which arose after a TikTok Live session by the ministry on May 14 on itemised billing. The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) had on May 15 criticised the ministry, alleging it made the announcement on the TikTok live session without any formal directive, circular or legal amendment.
Free Malaysia Today
01-05-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Govt officers threatened clinics despite price display grace period, claims group
FPMPAM president Dr Shanmuganathan TV Ganeson called on the government to issue a gazetted directive confirming the grace period, legally binding on all enforcement personnel. PETALING JAYA : A private doctors' group claims domestic trade and cost of living ministry enforcement officers visited clinics today and threatened to issue them summonses for failing to display medicine prices. The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations Malaysia said the spot checks occurred despite the three-month grace period given by the health, and domestic trade and cost of living ministries yesterday. 'According to a Facebook post, the officers issued three-day ultimatums to the clinics they visited and warned them to comply or face legal summonses,' FPMPAM president Dr Shanmuganathan TV Ganeson said in a statement. He said the joint statement previously issued by the ministries specified a grace period, but the officers ignored this by conducting checks today. Shanmuganathan said the officers' actions 'confirm our worst fear that there is no real grace period. 'This is not policy reform, it is regulatory betrayal,' he said. He called on the government to issue a gazetted directive confirming the grace period, legally binding on all enforcement personnel. He also asked for an immediate halt to all punitive inspections until clear guidelines are released and disseminated to both clinics and ground officers. In a joint statement yesterday, health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad and domestic trade and cost of living minister Armizan Mohd Ali promised a three-month grace period of 'educational enforcement'. The medicine price display order under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 came into effect today. Contravention of the order is punishable with a maximum RM50,000 fine for a person and a fine of up to RM100,000 for corporate bodies. Shanmuganathan said the federation plans to begin documenting enforcement actions and providing legal advice to clinics for 'professional survival under arbitrary power'. He reiterated its support for transparency in medicine pricing, but said such policy goals must not come at the cost of legal uncertainty, administrative bullying, and public confusion. Earlier today, an individual complained on Facebook that ministry officers visited his clinic today on Labour Day. 'Not bad, working on a public holiday. Asking for medication price and why I did not display it! 'They gave me a warning. They will be back in three days time! They will fine us if we don't display prices,' wrote the person in a post on the Malaysian Primary Care Network, a closed Facebook group. However, he did not specify if the visit was by domestic trade and cost of living ministry officers alone or with the presence of health ministry officers.
