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Malay Mail
7 days ago
- Health
- Malay Mail
SST on outpatient care for foreign workers could backfire, say private GPs pushing for urgent exemption
KUCHING, June 29 — The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations, Malaysia (FPMPAM) has proposed for the government to fully exempt primary care services for foreign workers from the Sales and Services Tax (SST). FPMPAM president Dr Shanmuganathan Ganeson said that as an alternative, the government could implement a temporary moratorium on the tax to allow time to explore a fair and sustainable healthcare financing mechanism. 'We have formally submitted an appeal to the Ministry of Finance (MoF), urging an urgent exemption from the upcoming six per cent SST on primary healthcare services provided to foreign workers, scheduled to take effect on July 1,' he said in a statement. Dr Shanmuganathan said although the Foreign Workers Medical Examination Monitoring Agency (Fomena) screenings remained exempt, many foreign workers would still require outpatient care for common illnesses, injuries, and chronic conditions — essential services typically paid for out-of-pocket by the workers themselves, or arranged through employer or Third-Party Administrator (TPA) programmes. Under the new SST rules, such services would be taxed once a clinic's annual revenue exceeds RM1.5 million. Dr Shanmuganathan said: 'The foreign workers are already vulnerable and underserved, and the SST to basic medical treatment risks deterring them from seeking timely care, delaying diagnosis, and ultimately compromising public health. 'We are also concerned about the eight per cent SST on commercial property rentals, which would further escalate operating costs for clinics renting shoplots, medical suites, or office units. 'These taxes compound the strain on solo and small-group practices that have seen no fee adjustments for decades.' Dr Shanmuganathan also highlighted that the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM) recently called for a broader reassessment of the SST expansion, citing its potential to harm the business environment and consumers. 'FPMPAM echoes this concern, urging the MoF to prioritise public health and service sustainability. 'FPMPAM also notes a policy anomaly where beauticians and cosmeticians, which are not related to essential health, now have no tax, whilst tax is imposed for essential health and medical services.' Nonetheless, Dr Shanmuganathan said the federation stood ready to work with the MoF to ensure that tax policies would not inadvertently undermine access to essential healthcare or threaten the survival of community clinics. — The Borneo Post
Borneo Post
28-06-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Private doctors urge SST exemption on foreign workers' primary healthcare
Dr Shanmuganathan said that as an alternative, the government could implement a temporary moratorium on the tax to allow time to explore a fair and sustainable healthcare financing mechanism. – Photo by Rodnae Productions/Pexels KUCHING (June 28): The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations, Malaysia (FPMPAM) has proposed for the government to fully exempt primary care services for foreign workers from the Sales and Services Tax (SST). FPMPAM president Dr Shanmuganathan Ganeson said that as an alternative, the government could implement a temporary moratorium on the tax to allow time to explore a fair and sustainable healthcare financing mechanism. 'We have formally submitted an appeal to the Ministry of Finance (MoF), urging an urgent exemption from the upcoming six per cent SST on primary healthcare services provided to foreign workers, scheduled to take effect on July 1,' he said in a statement yesterday. Dr Shanmuganathan said although the Foreign Workers Medical Examination Monitoring Agency (Fomena) screenings remained exempt, many foreign workers would still require outpatient care for common illnesses, injuries, and chronic conditions — essential services typically paid for out-of-pocket by the workers themselves, or arranged through employer or Third-Party Administrator (TPA) programmes. Under the new SST rules, such services would be taxed once a clinic's annual revenue exceeds RM1.5 million. Dr Shanmuganathan said: 'The foreign workers are already vulnerable and underserved, and the SST to basic medical treatment risks deterring them from seeking timely care, delaying diagnosis, and ultimately compromising public health. 'We are also concerned about the eight per cent SST on commercial property rentals, which would further escalate operating costs for clinics renting shoplots, medical suites, or office units. 'These taxes compound the strain on solo and small-group practices that have seen no fee adjustments for decades.' Dr Shanmuganathan also highlighted that the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM) recently called for a broader reassessment of the SST expansion, citing its potential to harm the business environment and consumers. 'FPMPAM echoes this concern, urging the MoF to prioritise public health and service sustainability. 'FPMPAM also notes a policy anomaly where beauticians and cosmeticians, which are not related to essential health, now have no tax, whilst tax is imposed for essential health and medical services.' Nonetheless, Dr Shanmuganathan said the federation stood ready to work with the MoF to ensure that tax policies would not inadvertently undermine access to essential healthcare or threaten the survival of community clinics.
Focus Malaysia
06-06-2025
- Health
- Focus Malaysia
Delay on GP fee review: 'Face realities on the ground,' NACCOL told
A DOCTORS' group has expressed disappointment over the government's failure to to revise private general practitioners' (GP) consultation fees as promised. 'We note with deep disappointment that the Health Minister's promise to finalise the long-overdue review of private GP consultation fees within a month has now passed without action,' said Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations, Malaysia (FPMPAM) president Dr Shanmuganthan TV Ganeson. 'Private GPs have been self-funding the essential primary care system for decades. Yet we remain shackled by consultation fees that have not changed in 33 years, while regulations and compliance costs continue to rise.' Recall that Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad told reporters on May 3 that the issue about GP consultation fees would be resolved 'within one month at the latest', adding that he had already prepared a Cabinet memorandum and circular. During Dzulkefly's May 3 press conference, the Health Minister claimed that the National Action Committee on the Cost of Living (NACCOL) had already agreed to a review of GP consultation fees. 'The Malaysian Medical Association and other GP bodies have presented a clear, evidence-based case for a fee update that ensures the sustainability of primary care clinics and the quality of care for our patients,' Dr Shanmuganathan said. 'We understand that NACCOL has raised concerns about the impact of the fee update. We want to remind NACCOL that these concerns are misplaced. 'Patients who visit GPs choose to do so for immediate, quality care—often to avoid hospital queues and costly specialist visits. They are willing to pay a fair fee for this timely service. 'Past analyses by NACCOL itself showed no significant impact on the Consumer Price Index, even with proposed fee updates as far back as 2019.' Moreover, Dr Shanmuganathan noted that third-party administrators have for too long suppressed GP consultation fees for corporate profit, while the Pharmaceutical Services Division, certain pharmacy groups, and even Pharma Corporations have lobbied to undermine the integrated GP clinic model that has served Malaysians well for over 60 years. 'The government must not hide behind a narrative that keeping GP fees artificially low somehow serves the public good,' he stressed. 'In reality, it threatens the survival of primary care—the most cost-effective part of our healthcare system—and shifts costs to patients in other ways. 'NACCOL must face these realities. It must not deny GPs the means to sustain their practices and continue serving communities effectively. 'We call on the Health Minister to honour his promise and on NACCOL to remove its obstacles and allow this long-overdue correction. Anything less is a disservice to GPs and the communities we care for daily.' ‒ June 6, 2025 Main image: The Straits Times
Rakyat Post
21-05-2025
- Health
- Rakyat Post
Private Clinic Fees Could Rise Up To 30% Under New Price Ruling
Subscribe to our FREE Treatment charges at clinics and hospitals could hike up by as much as thirty percent in the near future thanks to a new pricing directive that's being enforced, private medical practitioners warned. The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) said clinics are now required to itemise charges that were bundled under single fee, and this means patients would bear the brunt of the cost increase, New Straits Times FPMPAM's president, Dr Shanmuganathan T.V. Ganeson explained that the new price display rule has disrupted the current billing system – consultation, treatment, and medication were all charged together previously. 'Clinics now have to unbundle costs, including operating expenses, which must be separately listed on the bill,' he said. An Utusan Malaysia report said the estimated patient charges could go up by 10 to 30 percent depending on the type of treatment and medication. Essentially, a standard consultation may cost RM10 to RM30 more than before. Private medical practitioners were not happy that the new rule was placed under an Act made for retail goods On 6 May, about 200 general practitioners (GP) gathered in front of the Prime Minister's office, seemingly to protest against a new rule that requires private clinics to display prices of medicine. The regulation was part of a broader set of anti-profiteering laws. That was the real reason behind the protest. The GPs were unhappy that the rule was being enforced under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (Act 723), and was calling for the government to put it under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586) instead. In a statement, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) said the consequence of being subjected to both Act 723 and Act 586 could result in enforcement overlaps. They also noted that Act 723 was designed for retail businesses, and are concerned that the overlap may cause confusion. READ MORE: Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
New Straits Times
20-05-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
Clinic bills set to soar: Doctors warn of 30pct hike under new pricing rule
PETALING JAYA: Private medical practitioners have warned that treatment charges at clinics and hospitals could rise by as much as 30 per cent due to the enforcement of a new pricing directive. The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners' Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) said that patients would bear the brunt of the cost increase, as clinics were now required to itemise charges that were previously bundled under a single fee. Its president Dr Shanmuganathan T.V. Ganeson said that the new rule disrupted the existing billing system, in which consultation, treatment, and medication were charged together. "Clinics now have to unbundle costs, including operating expenses, which must be separately listed on the bill," said Dr Shanmuganathan. According to Utusan Malaysia, estimates suggest that patient charges could rise by between 10 and 30 per cent, depending on the type of treatment and medication. In some cases, a standard consultation may cost RM10 to RM30 more than before. On May 6, some 200 doctors gathered at Laman Perdana near Perdana Putra in Putrajaya to protest the new directive. The group assembled at 9.30am before a 10-member delegation, led by Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) representative Datuk Dr R. Thirunavukarasu, entered the Prime Minister's Office to submit a memorandum. The protesters urged the government to review Act 723 and place regulation of medical practice solely under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586), which they argued was sufficient for the sector. While protests continue, most private clinics have already begun displaying medicine prices, as required. Bundled billing remains in place at many clinics for the time being, pending a decision from the Health Ministry. Patients may begin to see higher bills as early as August if no changes are introduced during the grace period. "Once the grace period ends, clinics will be required to provide a full breakdown of all charges," Dr Shanmuganathan said. The price display requirement, gazetted on May 1, falls under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (Act 723) and is enforced by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry. It applies to all private clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies.
