Health Ministry to restructure government-borne treatment scheme

The Health Ministry plans to coordinate and restructure the treatment package scheme for government hospital dependent heart patients referred to the National Heart Institute (IJN).

Its minister, Datuk Seri S.Subramaniam said his ministry would discuss with IJN on the scheme, which among others covers a list of treatments and projected costs in efforts to improve facilities for the needy group.

"Previously the government funded the treatment costs of government dependent patients based on the final bill sent by the IJN to the ministry. Through the new scheme, the government will still fully bear the cost of treatment but the difference is that we will negotiate prices with IJN first.

"As such, we need to discuss first before making any decision on the scheme restructuring," he said when speaking at the IJN Research Day 2017 at IJN Auditorium here today.

He said the scheme, among others, coordinates the rationalisation of treatment costs for government dependent patients, comprising government employees, government pensioners and underprivileged patients, before they receive treatment in IJN.

Dr Subramaniam said such a scheme has been implemented in Japan, Taiwan and other countries at present.

"Once this deal is agreed upon, then we will be able to ensure the public service component goes on. So, the Health Ministry has no reason not to refer patients from government hospitals to IJN.

"They can't complaint the cost of treating, transferring patient to IJN is two three times higher than in Serdang Hospital because we have negotiate the deal which is acceptable by all," he said.

Meanwhile, IJN chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Azhari Yakub said the matter was still at a very early stage and the "current arrangement still stands". -- Bernama