KUALA LUMPUR, March 10 — Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad today said that the ministry had agreed to a moratorium until May 1, for private general practitioners (GPs) to display the prices of medications in their clinics.
Speaking at a press conference at the Tunku Azizah Hospital today, Dzulkefly assured the private GP community that he remains committed to advocating for the sustainability of their practices, adding that the May 1 deadline was mentioned during a recent advocacy session between the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the group.
He added that the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM) however, does not have a problem with the price display rule.
“They (APHM) do not have that problem. They are not pushing back. They are not resisting. What we’ve had recently is a slight issue, I wouldn’t call it a problem, but we held engagement sessions with our private GPs, whereby they requested a moratorium. To postpone for a short while, and we have stated our readiness to postpone until May 1.
“I know why. They want me to address Schedule 7, under Act 586. I take the commitment to fight for the revision of the consultation fees under Schedule 7 for clinics of GPs, because they have not had a revision for a long time,” he said, referring to Schedule 7 of the Private Healthcare Facilities & Services Act (PHFSA) 1998, which has not been revised for over three decades.
In November last year, Dzulkefly told Parliament that the government will require all private healthcare facilities to clearly display medication prices this year, as part of a comprehensive initiative to improve transparency in healthcare costs.
The measure will be implemented under the provisions of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, giving it significant regulatory weight.
On March 1, the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) expressed “deep disappointment” with the outcome of the advocacy session on the mandatory price display for GP clinics, chaired by Dzulkefly.
The association said that while the session was intended to clarify the government’s stance, it instead exposed serious gaps in policy justification and failed to address the legitimate concerns of GPs.
“FPMPAM firmly believes that the imposition of price display on GP clinics is both inappropriate and detrimental to the sustainability of private primary care. The application of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act (AKHAP) 2011 to healthcare services is fundamentally flawed, as medical practice is governed under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act (PHFSA) 1998.
“This creates a dangerous precedent where two conflicting laws dictate pricing regulations for medical services, leading to overregulation and confusion,” FPMPAM president,Dr Shanmuganathan TV Ganeson said in a statement.
Dr Shanmuganathan expressed concern that in view of the inadequate responses received and the persistent threats to the viability of GP practices, FPMPAM will maintain its position that pursuing legal action through judicial review remains a necessary and critical measure to protect the group’s interests.
