Health care financing in Malaysia: A way forward
Malaysia has a two-tier health care system consisting of the public and private sectors. The Ministry of Health is the main provider of health care services in the country. The private health care sector provides services on a nonsubsidized, fee-for-service basis, and mainly serves for those who can...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Archives of Global Professionals
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Archives of Pharmacy Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.archivepp.com/article.asp?issn=2045-080X;year=2015;volume=6;issue=4;spage=93;epage=96;aulast=Verma |
| _version_ | 1828963144910766080 |
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| author | Ashutosh Kumar Verma Mohamed Azmi Hassali Fahad Saleem |
| author_facet | Ashutosh Kumar Verma Mohamed Azmi Hassali Fahad Saleem |
| author_sort | Ashutosh Kumar Verma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Malaysia has a two-tier health care system consisting of the public and private sectors. The Ministry of Health is the main provider of health care services in the country. The private health care sector provides services on a nonsubsidized, fee-for-service basis, and mainly serves for those who can afford to pay. For financing health care two types of health insurances are available currently: Private and employee based (aka SOCSO). SOCSO and Employee Provident Fund provide some coverage to private-sector employees. There are several challenges in pure Bismarckian model (private insurance etc.) like smaller portion of total population will be "economically active," international competition to attract firms, and maintain/increase employment will put downward pressure on labor taxes. How to sustain universal coverage in this context? In a population setting where unemployment is high informal sector, payroll taxes will not be a major source of funds. However, it is possible to create a universal health financing system by transforming the role of budget funding from directly subsidizing provision to subsidizing the purchase of services on behalf of the entire population. The integration of services between the public and private sector is very much needed, at a cost the people can afford. At present, there is no national health insurance scheme in place. Although there are many models proposed, the main question that the policymakers need to be aware of is that of the equity of access to holistic health services for all Malaysians. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T10:20:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-31a14defa5124e97962e654f25100e25 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-080X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T10:20:38Z |
| publishDate | 2015-01-01 |
| publisher | Archives of Global Professionals |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Archives of Pharmacy Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-31a14defa5124e97962e654f25100e252022-12-21T23:06:37ZengArchives of Global ProfessionalsArchives of Pharmacy Practice2045-080X2015-01-0164939610.4103/2045-080X.165136Health care financing in Malaysia: A way forwardAshutosh Kumar VermaMohamed Azmi HassaliFahad SaleemMalaysia has a two-tier health care system consisting of the public and private sectors. The Ministry of Health is the main provider of health care services in the country. The private health care sector provides services on a nonsubsidized, fee-for-service basis, and mainly serves for those who can afford to pay. For financing health care two types of health insurances are available currently: Private and employee based (aka SOCSO). SOCSO and Employee Provident Fund provide some coverage to private-sector employees. There are several challenges in pure Bismarckian model (private insurance etc.) like smaller portion of total population will be "economically active," international competition to attract firms, and maintain/increase employment will put downward pressure on labor taxes. How to sustain universal coverage in this context? In a population setting where unemployment is high informal sector, payroll taxes will not be a major source of funds. However, it is possible to create a universal health financing system by transforming the role of budget funding from directly subsidizing provision to subsidizing the purchase of services on behalf of the entire population. The integration of services between the public and private sector is very much needed, at a cost the people can afford. At present, there is no national health insurance scheme in place. Although there are many models proposed, the main question that the policymakers need to be aware of is that of the equity of access to holistic health services for all Malaysians.http://www.archivepp.com/article.asp?issn=2045-080X;year=2015;volume=6;issue=4;spage=93;epage=96;aulast=VermaHealth carehealth care financingMalaysia |
| spellingShingle | Ashutosh Kumar Verma Mohamed Azmi Hassali Fahad Saleem Health care financing in Malaysia: A way forward Archives of Pharmacy Practice Health care health care financing Malaysia |
| title | Health care financing in Malaysia: A way forward |
| title_full | Health care financing in Malaysia: A way forward |
| title_fullStr | Health care financing in Malaysia: A way forward |
| title_full_unstemmed | Health care financing in Malaysia: A way forward |
| title_short | Health care financing in Malaysia: A way forward |
| title_sort | health care financing in malaysia a way forward |
| topic | Health care health care financing Malaysia |
| url | http://www.archivepp.com/article.asp?issn=2045-080X;year=2015;volume=6;issue=4;spage=93;epage=96;aulast=Verma |
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