KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry is currently reviewing the procedures for deposits and bank guarantees, in terms of rates and collection methods, to ensure they are sufficient to cover the medical expenses of foreigners seeking treatment at its facilities.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni told the Dewan Negara that as of February, a total of 823 companies had signed bank guarantee agreements with the ministry for medical facilities for their foreign workers.
"Through these agreements, private companies are required to pay a bank guarantee based on the number of employees.
"For instance, a private company must provide a bank guarantee of RM2,500 if it employs 200 workers.
"If medical bills are not settled within the specified period, deductions from the bank guarantee will be made to cover the outstanding payments involved," he said in response to a question from Senator Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim.
Ahmad questioned whether the ministry planned to tighten and introduce new procedures for foreign patients receiving treatment at government health facilities, with the condition of guaranteed payment and a 50 per cent deposit before treatment.
Lukanisman said that the ministry had mandated the collection of deposits from foreign patients for every hospital admission, as per Clause 14 of the Fees (Medical) (Cost of Services) Order 2014.
"Moreover, the Circular of the Secretary-General, Ministry of Health Malaysia, no. 2 of 2019: Guidelines for the Implementation of the Fees Order (Medical) (Cost of Services) 2014, has also established deposit rates based on ward class and type of medical service. For instance, the deposit for medical procedures in third-class wards is RM1,400, while in first-class wards, it's RM7,000," he said.
Lukanisman added that a total of 72,078 foreigners received treatment at government health facilities last year, contributing to a total of RM257 million in fees collected.
He said that the total amount of unpaid medical fees from foreigners in the country last year was RM40 million.
"There have been news reports claiming that we were unable to collect RM100 million in outstanding medical bills.
"I would like to clarify that this is not true. While there were arrears in unpaid medical fees, the amount was actually RM40 million," he said, adding that health facilities in Sabah recorded the highest amount of unpaid medical fees, due to various factors.
