GPs calls for boycott of Etiqa

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has called for a nationwide boycott and suspension of cashless services to all Etiqa Insurance & Takaful panels.

MMA president Datuk Dr N.K.S.Tharmaseelan said Etiqa has been removing general practitioners (GP) from its panel of clinics that do not have a current account with Maybank.

Etiqa is a subsidiary of Maybank.

The Medical Association and Medical Practitioners Coalition Association of Malaysia (MPCAM) is also supportive of the boycott.

“Over 200 GPs on the panel have received letters of termination by Etiqa. They said we must have a bank account with Maybank. Otherwise, they will be removed as panel,” Dr Tharmaseelan told Astro Awani, Thursday.

He added that this clause was not in the original appointment letter and the new ‘condition’ was imposed on 1 Feb 2014.

“Forcing doctors to open a current account irrespective of logistical problems – such as the bank situated very far away from the clinic whilst there is an adjacent bank nearby, is grossly unfair,” he added.

MPCAM, which have about 18,000 members nationwide said the boycott will go on indefinitely until Etiqa withdraws such ‘unreasonable demands’.

All patients referred by Etiqa now will have to pay cash, which they then have to claim from Etiqa.

There are also other outstanding issues that the GPs were not happy about such as delayed payments from Etiqa via a third party administrator.

The MMA, on its Facebook page Wednesday, said that Etiqa has agreed to look into the matter and to come up with solutions to settle the issue amicably.