Medical fees for first class patients up 50 pct, second class patients up 25 pct
KUCHING: Medical fees for first and second class patients at five hospitals in Sarawak – Sarawak General Hospital in Kuching, Sibu Hospital, Miri Hospital, Sarikei Hospital and Bintulu Hospital – have been increased by 50 and 20 per cent respectively.
The increase came into effect on Feb 1, following an amendment to Fees (Medical) Order 1982.
State Health Department director Dr Jamillah Hashim said the 50 per cent fee increase for first class patients in the five hospitals would include ward, treatment, investigation and surgery charges.
“For second class patients, the 25 per cent increase is applicable to ward charge only,” she said through facsimile recently.
The fee increase was also imposed on medical services such as updating procedures, charges for radiotherapy, physiotherapy, detail and oncology treatment.
“It’s also applicable to traditional therapy, traditional Chinese medicinal treatment, dietetic treatment, language assessment and therapy performance measure,” Dr Jamillah added.
In general, she said the new fee structure did not affect Class 3 patients but only first and second class patients as well as dental outpatients.
Despite the increase (in fees), there had been no decrease in the number of patients, said Dr Jamilah.
The adjustment in dental fee for outpatients came into effect on March 1.
Dr Jamilah said the fees charged at government hospitals had not been revised since Dec 1, 1982.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam had announced last year that fee charges at government hospitals would be revised beginning this year.
However, he did not announce the details such as the revised rates or the affected medical services.
He said the move was befitting as the cost of operations at hospitals had increased.
It’s also applicable to traditional therapy, traditional Chinese medicinal treatment, dietetic treatment, language assessment and therapy performance measure. Dr Jamillah Hashim, State Health Department director