1Care proposal ready in 2 years
By FOONG PEK YEE and ELWEEN LOKE
newsdesk@thestar.com.my
The Star 04 Feb 2012
IPOH: The proposal for the 1Care for 1Malaysia plan to revamp the country's healthcare sytem will only be ready in two years.
MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said time was needed to seek input from all stakeholders; the people, doctors, nurses and the private sector.
He added that some of the information on the 1Care plan that appeared in several websites, such as the clause that patients could only seek treatment six times a year, was untrue.
“These are lies to make the people hate the Government and also to make Barisan Nasional look bad,” he added.The party president, a medical doctor by training, also noted that the Health Ministry's healthcare services, 98% of which was subsidised, were good.
He added that a revamp was necessary following changes in disease trends in the country, such as the increasing cases of non-communicable and lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol level, heart diseases and cancer.
Dr Chua said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who also heads the National Economic Council, had given his assurance that the poor would continue to receive treatment from the Government following the revamp.
“The council discussed the matter during its meeting three days ago,” Dr Chua, who is a member of the council, told reporters after a Chinese New Year dinner in Bercham, near here, on Thursday.
In Petaling Jaya, the Health Ministry has quashed claims that parts of the controversial 1Care plan have been implemented.
Health director-general Datuk Seri Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said in a statement the ministry was still drafting the blueprint for 1Care.
He added that consultations on the types of financial arrangements and implications to the Government, taxpayers and individuals were under way to come up with an acceptable healthcare financing model.
“Thus, any assumptions or conjecture on the financial impact on the individual taxpayer is very premature at this stage,” said Dr Hasan.
He called on critics of 1Care to engage with the ministry to better understand the proposed plan.
"He called on critics of 1Care to engage with the ministry to better understand the proposed plan." That is the crux of the problem all along... just listen to us ('gomen') to explain to you, not what you can input or assist to help develop or change the system! Is there room for true consultations, dialogue, dissent or counterproposals? Not with this policy maker, it seems!!!
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