Press Release

Offer vaccine shots at cost price to insurance companies, private hospitals urged

Jan 22, 2021

1. Private hospitals and insurance companies should join hands in expediting vaccinations for all Malaysians against Covid-19.

2. Gerakan national vice-president Datuk Baljit Singh has proposed a two-pronged approach in this effort.

3. Private hospitals can offer vaccination services at cost price which in turn is to be covered by all insurance firms, he said in a statement today.

4. We support the recent call by private hospitals to the Government to compel insurance companies to revise their policies and cover the treatment cost of Covid-19 patients, Baljit said.

5. Both the private hospitals and insurance firms, he noted, also have their own moral roles to play in helping ease the Government’s burden in costs to vaccinate all Malaysians and getting the people immunised speedily.

6. Baljit said such a move would ensure that there would be no long waiting lines for Malaysians to receive the vaccine.

7. Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason this week had called on Bank Negara Malaysia to compel insurance companies to cover Covid-19 treatment for policyholders due to the state of the emergency.

8. The health services (sector),” Marimuthu has said, “is in a worse state than ever. It is overstretched and cannot take any more patients.”

9. Marimuthu said with hospitals saying that they were willing to do their part, it was time for insurance companies to do the right thing by giving their policy holders Covid-19 treatment and hospitalisation options during the nation’s hour of need.

10. Baljit said the time has come for all private hospitals to set up their respective Covid-19 units or departments and work together with the government in easing its already heavy burden in fighting Covid-19.

11. The insurance companies, Baljit added, should also look beyond simply raking profits at this time and not be a cause of burden to Malaysians.

12. Baljit said it was timely for both the private hospitals and insurance industry to step up to the plate in doing their bit to achieve Covid-19 herd immunity and help with controlling the prolonged pandemic.