We have no jurisdiction over private hospital charges, says health minister – Bernama
The Health Ministry has no jurisdiction to determine charges for services rendered by private hospitals, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam (pic) said today.
Dr Subramaniam said under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586), the government only has the power to set the rate for a doctor's professional fee.
"The Ministry can only decide the quantum for the professional fee that private hospitals can charge. Through the Act, we can only determine the maximum charge for the professional fee of doctors.
"The other components of the hospital charges such as fees for accommodation, laboratory investigations, nursing care, use of equipment, operation room, drugs used and x-ray are not regulated due to the varying costs in operating and maintaining a private hospital at different areas," he said.
The Private Hospitals and Other Private Healthcare Facilities Regulations 2006 of the Act, which was published in the federal gazette on December 16 last year, provides for the maximum chargeable fees for registered medical and dental practitioners practising in private hospitals in terms of their professional fees such as consultation and performance of procedures.
Dr Subramaniam said in fact those seeking treatment at private hospitals, medical associations and non-governmental organisations have the power to determine the rates.
"If patients and members of the public voice their grievances to the respective hospitals which impose high charges, I believe the respective hospitals may react by reducing the rates because the market price is determined by the consumers," he said.
However, the ministry had and continues to advise private hospitals to charge reasonable rates so as not to burden the people, especially patients.
"We don’t want to over regulate it, because to some degree we want it to be determined by market forces. But what is important in ensuring market forces play the role, there must be strong consumer groups who actually monitor this and ensure the voice of users is very important," he said. – Bernama, April 23, 2014.
