Malaysia warned high health expenses can cause catastrophe
02-Jun-16, The Malay Mail Online
Over a third of Malaysians are directly paying for medical services despite universal healthcare, an excessive figure that can lead to financial catastrophe, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam has said.
%20The%20Malay%20Mail%20Online.jpg "Malaysia warned high health expenses can cause catastrophe (c) The Malay Mail Online")
Image: The Malay Mail Online
He said Malaysians' out-of-pocket payments were approximately 35 per cent of the country's overall health expenditure totalling between RM44 billion to RM45 billion annually.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank think it's too high and that it can lead to financial catastrophe,” Subramaniam told a press conference after opening the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia's 24th international healthcare conference.
“We're advised to reduce it to less than 15 or 20 per cent,” he added.