Why the hell am I forced to pay such high amounts for my healthcare?!
In Malaysia, where half the population earns less than RM2,900 monthly, private sector healthcare bills are nothing short of price-gouging and must be permanently stopped.
Recently, I went for a psychiatric appointment. I was actually reluctant to go, as I hate therapy sessions. Each time, the process takes such a huge mental toll on me.
However, my anxiety has worsened of late, which in turn has diminished my functionality in certain aspects.
My parents, noticing this deterioration, strongly felt it would be good to seek additional help so I could get better.
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And so, I grudgingly agreed to have a session with this particular psychiatrist.
Breaking point
Once the session finished, her staff handed me the bill.
I was shocked and angry to see the total amount. It came to RM630! [That is 20-40% of the monthly income that half the population receives – and this was just for a single session.]
Of all the therapy sessions I have gone to, this was the most expensive by far. The total bill comprised consultation fees, psychotherapy fees and the cost of two weeks’ medication.
Now, the bills for all the previous sessions I have had with other psychiatrists and psychologists were pricey as well. Each time I went for those sessions, I was always crestfallen at the high costs. I would also feel bad for those from the low-income group who would struggle to pay such unreasonable treatment costs.
But this latest bill was just too much for the service I received. It was a rude reminder of how truly broken our system is.
Inhumane practice
I have always felt strongly about the unfair cost of services by the private sector in general.
A simple healthcare procedure could cost thousands of ringgit. At worst, we are routinely charged tens of thousands of ringgit for various life-saving procedures! Frankly, it is obscene and cruel to charge patients such exorbitant fees for the treatment upon which their life depends.
People suffering from any health condition deserve to receive affordable, quality healthcare. It is their basic human right.
It is criminal for private companies to abuse such essential services by jacking up prices – what more considering the impact on the poor, who are already struggling to make ends meet. How the hell do you expect them to pay such high fees? It is just plain wrong!
The profit pandemic
Unscrupulous business people have transformed healthcare into a profit-making industry. Rather than saving people’s lives, the priority for these private institutions is reaping huge profits. Talk about life not being fair. This right here is a perfect example.
Many of us must have surely encountered this insanity in local private healthcare institutions.
Sadly, this is one of the many crushing symptoms of having a corporate oligarchy as a political system.
Such inhumane practices have become deeply entrenched in many of our societies.
The main reason? Our political class appear to be beholden to many of these rich companies, several of which may be funding them.
Hence, in return, political leaders do not impose strict regulations on them. This scenario applies to other industrial complexes as well, not just healthcare.
Neoliberal nightmare
Another big reason is that our ruling classes strongly subscribe to neoliberal capitalism.
Under this ideology, governments rely heavily on the private sector and the ‘free market’ to develop important sectors, including healthcare. The same applies to Malaysia, which has swung too far towards privatisation.
Rather than the government being in control of these essential sectors, it has instead allowed the private sector to dominate them. Not only that, even the public healthcare system is now implementing a so-called “full-paying patients” scheme.
And as we know, the private sector’s primary goal is to reap maximum shareholders’ returns. They are less concerned about the average person’s wellbeing.
Reform and regulation
Given the high cost of essential services and goods, more government regulation and oversight is necessary.
Governments – rather than the private sector – must be in charge of providing essential services. To prevent corruption, a proper mechanism of checks and balances must be installed as well.
Affordable and quality essential services are necessary. They must never be treated as business opportunities to reap high profits.
Push for change
What can we do about this mess? How do we put an end to the obscene practice of charging exorbitant medical fees?
We can start by raising public awareness of the prevalence of such practices in the healthcare system. This would be the task of certain groups and independent NGOs that champion social justice causes. Ideally, on causes such as the cost of healthcare, which affects so many people, public-interests groups should collaborate.
Once more people become aware, these groups can start organising large groups of people to protest against these companies and the political leaders.
The people should demand that stricter regulations be imposed on the private healthcare sector. We must pressure the government to establish more affordable, non-profit healthcare institutions.
Many intricate details need consideration, but this is the foundation for positive change. Such initiatives require significant time and effort. But as with many systemic problems nowadays, genuine change can only come from a critical mass of people power.
Final prescription
We, the masses, need to unite, mobilise and apply consistent pressure on political leaders to bring about much-needed changes.
We deserve affordable healthcare. It is completely unfair that we are forced to pay such exorbitant healthcare fees, which can wipe out a huge chunk of our savings or even leave us in debt.
We must all strongly reject this system that prioritises maximum profits at the expense of the people’s health. Regardless of whether we are suffering from mental or physical health conditions, all of us deserve genuinely affordable quality healthcare.
Affordable healthcare should be treated as a basic human right, period. Our lives – and our children’s lives – depend on it.
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Do not kill GP’s practice. That is why still maintains HHS. But killed GP’s and now they are regretting.
Thanks Raveen for sharing your views. Fully agree that health care is a basic human right.
Thanks!
Totally agree with you Mr Raveen. Health care is a basic right.