Rethinking medical protection beyond the price tag

Medical protection for Malaysians is evolving beyond just the cost of a plan. MediAsas, a Base Medical and Health Insurance/Takaful Plan introduced as part of the RESET strategy, aims to provide accessible coverage throughout a person's life, particularly as healthcare needs increase with age. This plan, informed by claim patterns and actual healthcare usage, offers two levels of coverage: MediAsas Teras with a RM100,000 annual limit for those under 60 and MediAsas Fleksi with a RM300,000 limit for those aged 60 and above.

Neither plan has a lifetime limit, but the focus is on maintaining affordability while addressing the rising costs of medical care. MediAsas incorporates deductibles to manage costs and encourage necessary healthcare utilization, with premiums adjusted based on overall pool conditions rather than individual claims. The plan also includes a seven-year moratorium to prevent claims contestation after a policyholder has been continuously covered for seven years.

While certain pre-existing conditions may lead to exclusions or premium loadings, the plan aims to be more inclusive than many existing insurance products. The seven-year moratorium in MediAsas allows policyholders to feel secure in their coverage, while also providing insurers the time to verify information provided during the application process.