PETALING JAYA, March 13 —The adjusted consultation fees for private general practitioners (GPs) will be announced before May 1, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said today.
According to Free Malaysia Today (FMT), the minister stated that he has obtained approval for an immediate review of the fees listed under Schedule 7 of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (Act 586).
“This revision will ensure fair and reasonable consultation fees for private GPs,” he was quoted as saying at a press conference at the Parliament building today.
“Not only has the National Action Council on Cost of Living agreed to this, but Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has (also) approved the revision.”
It is understood that the current consultation fee structure, which ranges from RM10 to RM35, has remained unchanged since 1992.
Dzulkefly also noted that while private hospitals and the Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia were prepared to display medicine prices, private GPs were only willing to do so if their consultation fees under Schedule 7 of Act 586 were adjusted.
“We are taking a multi-pronged approach to addressing medical inflation, and reviewing GP consultation fees is part of that effort,” he told FMT.
In November last year, Dzulkefly informed Parliament that the government would require all private healthcare facilities to clearly display medication prices in 2024 as part of a broader initiative to enhance transparency in healthcare costs.
The measure will be enforced under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, giving it significant regulatory authority.
On Monday, Malay Mail reported that Dzulkefly had announced a moratorium until May 1 for private GPs to display medication prices in their clinics. The minister also reassured the private GP community of his commitment to supporting the sustainability of their practices.
