An independent board has been established to oversee MediAsas, with the nationwide rollout scheduled for January 2027 as Malaysia advances private healthcare reforms.
PETALING JAYA: An independent board has been established to oversee the implementation and long-term sustainability of the MediAsas health insurance plan, ahead of its nationwide rollout scheduled for the end of January 2027.
In a statement today, the Joint Ministerial Committee on Private Healthcare Costs (JBMKKS) said the board would provide strategic leadership, oversight and monitoring of the plan, covering its implementation, administration and performance.
The board will be chaired by Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Norma Mansor, with members comprising Professor Dr Elil Renganathan, Datuk Hamidah Naziadin, Ivan Loh Ee Hoe, Serena Thio Hui Ming and Professor Dr Woo Yin Ling.
It will also include ex-officio representatives from the Health Ministry, Finance Ministry and Bank Negara Malaysia.
The board will be supported by the MediAsas Office, operated by ProtectHealth Corporation, as well as global expert adviser Dr Winnie Yip, a professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and technical adviser Datuk Jessica Chew, a former Bank Negara deputy governor.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the board would ensure MediAsas remained focused on improving patient outcomes while addressing rising healthcare costs.
“Our healthcare reforms must ultimately deliver better outcomes for patients.
“The board will play an important role in ensuring MediAsas remains anchored on this purpose by bringing together healthcare and industry perspectives to manage healthcare costs more effectively, keep protection accessible and support better care for patients over the long term,” he said.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said the establishment of the independent board would strengthen the foundations for MediAsas’ nationwide implementation.
He said the board’s diverse expertise would help guide the plan’s transition from its pilot phase to a nationwide rollout, while safeguarding the public interest and ensuring its long-term sustainability.
Ahead of the nationwide launch, measures announced under Budget 2027 are also expected to widen access to essential medical coverage, particularly for individuals with limited or no existing medical and health insurance and takaful (MHIT) protection.
These measures include income tax relief on premiums or contributions paid for coverage purchased for individuals and their immediate family members, as well as a RM40 million allocation to encourage coverage among employees of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 75 workers.
Beyond MediAsas, JBMKKS said it would continue advancing reforms under the RESET Strategy to address rising healthcare costs and strengthen the private healthcare system.
“One of the key initiatives is a standardised billing framework for private hospitals, led by the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM), to improve transparency and consistency in hospital charges.
“The framework is intended to provide patients with greater clarity on medical bills while making common hospital charges easier to compare,” it said.
JBMKKS also acknowledged the contributions of the Healthcare Partners Protocol and Solutions Committee (HPPSC), including efforts to improve communication through a doctor-to-doctor hotline and enhance transparency in the empanelment process for healthcare providers and medical practitioners.
The committee said the JBMKKS Consultative Council would continue bringing together industry and consumer perspectives to ensure reforms remained practical, responsive to stakeholders’ needs and supportive of accessible and sustainable private healthcare.
