KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 21 — The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said today it plans to scrutinise the entire healthcare and insurance ecosystem in a bid to address concerns over medical inflation, including looking into allegations of monopoly in the supply chain.
The Bayan Baru MP addressed the media after the PAC held its second public inquiry in Parliament building here this morning as part of an ongoing investigation, which will continue with closed-door proceeding this Monday.
“Yes we plan to study [allegations] of monopoly such as the supply of medicines,” PAC member Sim Tze Tzin told reporters after the public hearing concluded.
The committee had previously said the issue will be a top agenda this year after dozens of policy holders alleged some insurers announced they would raise premiums as high as 40 per cent.
Claims of price rigging in the healthcare industry reemerged following news of a planned hike of insurance premiums sparked public backlash that forced the government to intervene, with Bank Negara Malaysia imposing a 10 per cent cap and three year moratorium on further hikes of premiums.
MORE TO COME
