A full house turned up at the public hearing on the rise of health insurance premiums and hospital charges and their impact on public healthcare at a hotel in Bukit Jambul in George Town, Penang on Friday (Feb 14).
The three-hour session organised by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) saw some 100 people come together to voice their concerns about the costs.
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The three-hour session organised by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) saw some 100 people come together to voice their concerns about the costs.
Read more at https://tinyurl.com/bd2r2ec5
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline
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NewsTranscript
00:00A full house turned up at the Public Accounts Committee, PAC Public Hearing on rising health
00:07insurance premiums and private hospital charges at a hotel in Bukit Jambul on Friday.
00:13PAC Chairman Datuk Mas Ermiyati Samsudin assured that all perspectives shared during
00:19the session will be considered in drafting a comprehensive report on the issue.
00:24We all want the best for the health of Malaysians and a lot of things need to be looked at.
00:35All parties need to work together.
00:39This is not just a question of one party, but all networks and all parties involved,
00:48from the private sector, government, ordinary people and even those with disabilities.
00:59Many participants expressed frustration over the steep increase in health insurance and
01:04takaful premiums and non-transparent hospital charges.
01:07I will just recount one bad experience I had with a prominent private hospital in Penang.
01:13My wife went for treatment.
01:16I was charged a certain amount and I found that the charges were not explicit.
01:25So when I asked them for details, they told me a certain blood test was done, but that
01:33blood test was not in the itemised bill.
01:36So when I asked them why, they said they will write it in handwriting.
01:41I said, when you have a computerised bill, why should you have a separate item by handwriting?
01:47They couldn't answer.
01:48I wrote to the Ministry of Health, I followed up with the Ministry of Health, but nothing
01:54came out of it.
01:55From the PAC session, I have stated the real issue, which is the cost of treatment and
02:03the cost of treatment.
02:04The cost of treatment is just for the treatment of waste.
02:08Imagine, Rp10,000 for 3 days in 2 and a half days, but we have been charged Rp10,000.
02:19I have brought this issue to the PAC to discuss and for a long-term solution.
02:26So I hope this session can provide a good solution for all parties involved.
02:35This is the first time PAC has conducted a public hearing on a matter under its examination.
02:42Following the session, PAC will continue its parliamentary proceedings, summoning witnesses
02:48from relevant ministries and agencies for further deliberations.
02:52The next PAC public hearing on the same issue is scheduled for February 21 at the Parliament Complex.
02:58Insights from these hearings will be included in the final report to be tabled in Dewan Rakyat.