By Clara Chooi
The Malaysian Insider
Feb 02, 2012
PETALING JAYA, Feb 2 – The newly-formed Citizens’ Healthcare Coalition (CHC) came out for the first time today to demand the government shelve its proposed “1 Care” insurance scheme, warning that its implementation would spell “disaster” for Malaysia’s healthcare system.
The pact insisted that the present two-tiered model was superior to “1 Care”, which it predicted would only turn healthcare management into a “business”.
“We believe the (current) Malaysian model is superior for the Malaysian environment. We do not want healthcare to be turned into a business.
“We believe there should be both public and private sectors – public as a service-oriented model and private as a corporate model… it is not possible for a service sector model to be corporatised,” Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations of Malaysia (FPMPAM) president Dr Steven Chow said during CHC’s maiden media briefing at the Global Business and Convention Centre here this evening.
According to CHC, “1 Care” is a new national healthcare system that will force all households to surrender nearly 10 per cent of their monthly household incomes as contribution to a government-run Social Healthcare Insurance (SHI) scheme.
The group insists that the scheme would not achieve its objective to provide equitable access to healthcare for all segments of society and would only increase costs.
Even worse, the group has said, the SHI scheme only covers very basic healthcare expenditure and poses many limitations such as: every individual is assigned to a primary healthcare provider (PHCP) or general practitioner and cannot select his or her own doctor; the assigned doctor is only budgeted to see each individual a maximum of six times a year; “the cheapest, not-original medicine” will be dispensed; individuals will not be covered for all illnesses, especially intensive care; and if an individual insists on selecting his or her own choice of doctor, he will have to pay out of his own pocket.
The CHC also warned today that despite claims from the authorities that “1 Care” was still at the conceptualisation stage, its engagement with ministry officials indicated that the scheme has already entered phase three of its implementation plan.
“It is past conceptualisation, there already is a blueprint for implementation, which are basically the nuts and bolts of implementation process, to be ready by 2012.
“To us in the medical fraternity, ‘1 Care’ is definitely in the final stages of implementation,” Dr Chow told the press conference.
Another CHC spokesperson, Dr T. Jayabalan concurred, adding that numerous technical working groups have already been formed while even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself had made special mention of “1 Care” during a speech in 2010.
“Another thing is that there have been numerous roadshows held by the ministry… the last one was 10 days ago in Seremban. Definitely, it is afoot,” he said.
But both Dr Chow and Dr Jayabalan agreed that it was still “not too late” to convince Putrajaya to shelve “1 Care”, with the latter pointing out that “elections is around the corner”.
“They (the government) might turn around and say… okay, if you don’t like it (we will shelve it). And elections is around the corner too,” he said.
“If the government does not respond, then they are arrogant,” said Dr Chow.
The duo added that CHC’s “Tak Nak 1 Care” campaign activities are fast gaining attention from the public and in the coming weeks, more would be done to spread public awareness.
“On our side, our association plans to inform its members, hold similar forums in Ipoh, Kuantan, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Penang.
“We will inform members so they can duly inform their patients, so as much information can be transmitted to the ground,” said Dr Chow.
“The change that can come is through informing others. What action the people would want to take, we will support.
“We will probably also be submitting memorandums, get the NGOs to get the rakyat to petition… We can see far ahead that the country is headed to disaster if it disbands its present (healthcare) system for an American system,” said Dr Jayabalan.
Apart from the forums, CHC has also kicked off its campaign online, using social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to spread its message.
The heartless and greedy umno is squeezing blood out of rakyat’s bones.
‘1 Care” Insurance health scheme ..careless if Malaysians get poorer and poorer.
All they care is with one more idea….monopolized it….making millions.
One who really cares will attempt to make life easier and better for all.
If so..why then…strong objections from CHC?
Nothing from the Government is totally sincere.
They steal so much from all fronts….money belong to Malaysians…that they need to fill all empty cans …squeezing Malaysians as much as they possibly can.
They use the power they hold…to make middle class poor and poor getting poorer..becoming a country with no middle class…just the very rich and the very poor only….and the poor with kowtow to the Govt for help….submitting ..surrendering their power votes…for a bowl of rice …back to good old…slaves and masters era.
But both Dr Chow and Dr Jayabalan agreed that it was still
“not too late” to convince Putrajaya to shelve “1 Care”, with
the latter pointing out that “elections is around the corner”. –
End of quote
Both Dr Chow & Dr Jayabalan MUST NOT only try to convince
Putrajaya to shelve “1Care”.
THEY MUST MAKE PUTRAJAYA ABANDON “1CARE” FOREVER!
And civil society must be forever vigilant that the scheme WILL
NOT be implemented on the sly.
After a few health ministers have been hatching the so-called
National Health Insurance Scheme for the past quarter century
or more, they have finally given up.
They just don’t have the brains to have a good, workable system.
And in the long process, they must have wasted plenty of tax-
payers’ money having all sorts of experts doing all sorts of
studying!!
And now, they just lifted, plagiarised, the NHS scheme wholesale
from the UK!
If I am not mistaken, the NHS scheme has been condemned
as a failed system.
The main effect is that the patients, as well as the government
are paying through the nose for very limited medical benefits.
This goes against the grain of getting the biggest bang for the
money paid!
In effect, they are just privatising healthcare in this country.
Also, the cost per consultation itself of the GP is RM60!!
I know for a fact that even some medical specialists are charging
only RM70 per consultation.
In effect, the “caring” government is jacking up the medical
costs for its citizens!! A very “caring” government INDEED!!!
And in the whole process, those associated with the new
scheme will grow very rich.
At the expense of the poor taxpayers.
The government can say what it wants but it is trying
to ram the scheme through against the wishes of its citizens.
This sort of unilateral actions have been going for far, far, far
too long.
Civil societies must do everything IMMEDIATELY to put a stop
to another of the government’s vile schemes.
So, take note everybody, cast your vote very, very, very wisely
in the 13th GE.
Get rid of these scums!!!
It never fails to amaze me how those who are holding high
offices in the BN government got to hold them!
Just look at their calibre!
Can anyone fathom that?
10% from everyone. The amount collected would be astronomical and what would umno do with it? Buy condos and private jets and foreign properties of course.
No surprise that the BN govt’s mishandling of public funds must have slowly but surely drained away financial resources from the critical public healthcare system that they need to implement this ‘1 Care’ scheme.
What has Minister of Health said about 1-care? He probably does not know the content, and has no power to stop it.
Which insurance company is taking over 1-care? Is it Boustead, the company which builds ships?
This is piratization in the name of health.
They have been keeping quiet for so long. We are consulted in small groups so that no one knows the everything. Please look out for a paper call the 1Care Concept paper that was presented to the Prime Minister in 2009.
The 1 Care is into Stage 2. It still can be pushed back.
But it is even better to change the tenant at Putrajaya. Only the people can do that
PLEASE
LET US ALL COME FOR THE SELANGOR / KL HEALTHCARE PUBLIC FORUM on 12th Feb from 4-6pm at the Global Business and Convention Center in PJ sect 19.
We must change the tenant at Putrajaya. GE 13 is coming soon. It is our best chance. Failure is not an option.Healthcare with mandatory employer /employee contribution is a serious GE 13 issue. Let us all work very very hard. We must change the tenant at Putrajaya and stop this 1Care.
Do not despair. 1Care is the best Ang Pow BN can give to Pakatan. Sure,let them introduce the stupid scheme so that it becomes more obvious to voters that BN exist only to suck the sweat and blood of the rakyat. Let BN shoot themselves in their toes. Once Pakatan has taken over Putrajaya, just throw the damn thing away and replace it with a better one. It would have served it purpose.
Who are these “Health Ministry” officials who concocted this scam…are they qualified..
PR must do a background check on these fellows…the scam could be much larger then Cowgirl and PKFZ combined…
These people (BeEnd) use up much national resources to buy RM56000 binoculars (original RM2k), to give away to their member like National Feedlot project, etc. are thinking to suck more money from all Malaysians so that they have more money to use and to buy and to maintain their life like life in ri Perdana.
These BeEnd people are incapable managing national resourcs so we see national debt is mounting to hundreds billion Ringgit.
For example:
Why not get Taib into jail and confiscate all his property in other countries and get back those money?