CEO Morning Brief

MOH to Discuss IJN's Proposed Fee Hike of Up to 40%

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Publish date: Tue, 15 Oct 2024, 10:16 AM
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TheEdge CEO Morning Brief

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 14): The Ministry of Health (MOH) will discuss with the National Heart Institute (IJN) its proposed 10% to 40% fee increase for patients referred by the ministry.

Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni stated that the ministry cannot interfere with the fees set by IJN, as the institute falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance.

IJN is fully owned by the Minister of Finance (MOF) Incorporated (MOF Inc).

"We will discuss and review the reasons behind the proposed increase in costs or fees, as this will impact the health ministry, given that we still refer patients to IJN," Lukanisman said at a news conference in Parliament on Monday.

Last week, IJN's newly appointed chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohamed Ezani Md Taib indicated that the institute is seeking a 10% to 40% increase in fees for patients referred by the MOH.

Ezani explained that the review is necessary due to inflation and rising costs, as the fee structure has remained unchanged since it was established 20 years ago in 2003.

"Healthcare costs have gone up, but we still charge the government the original rates set in 2003. For instance, we now have more doctors and nurses, but we don't charge extra for them—we have to absorb those costs," said Ezani.

In February, civil servants and pensioners funded by the MOH complained that they were discharged from IJN despite still needing treatment due to the government's cost-cutting measures.

However, the MOH clarified at that time that patients are only discharged from the IJN to MOH hospitals when their conditions are stable, stating that this strategic approach maximises cost-effectiveness and allows about 4,000 new patients to be referred to IJN annually.

Source: TheEdge - 15 Oct 2024

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