Rising pressure of healthcare cost

http://www.chartisdirect.com.my/accident-hospital-news-artc-one_1558_309006.html

 

 

‘Affordable healthcare’ in Malaysia? To many Malaysians, the term may seem like a misnomer. The Star newspaper, in a feature originally published in in May 2009, explored some of the reasons behind these seemingly escalating costs. Excerpted below are a few highlights of what they found:   

 

 
Rising pressure of healthcare cost
The Star (March 14, 2009)

• With the continuous rise of investments in research and development as well as the adoption of the latest technologies to deal with the rapid emergence of new and complicated illnesses (and the re-emergence of some deadly ones), healthcare costs are soaring by the day.
   
• Across the world, the increases in doctors’ bills are outpacing the general inflation rate each year. It is estimated that the global medical inflation averages about 10% each year.
   
• In Malaysia, medical inflation is estimated to be around 15% each year. That is to say, a simple appendicitis surgery that cost RM1,800 three years ago will set you back by about RM3,000 today.
   
• Some patients have been slapped with exorbitant charges by private hospitals due to “unnecessary” treatment courses.
   
• For example, there is the case of Madam LC, in her 60's, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer with metastasis to liver stage IV, and was admitted to a private hospital in Kuala Lumpur in January. Upon discharge the following day, she was slapped with a bill of more than RM7,000. Of this amount, nearly half was for a specific medication called Injection Aclasta, which, according to the patient, retailed at only RM1,400. In addition, LC was also billed for a bilateral mammogram, when she actually did a single one, as she had a left mastectomy more than 10 years ago.
  
• A private hospital doctor told StarBizWeek explained that doctors in the private hospitals tend to subject their patients to “better monitoring” as part of what they call defensive medicine, due to the rising risk of litigation.
   
• Nevertheless, thanks to the introduction of medical insurance, certain medical expenses incurred by policyholders can be taken care of. Hence, it is viewed as increasingly important for individuals to have such insurance policies, with sufficient coverage.