Budget 2027: Health Ministry to expand outsourcing programme to cut waiting times

IPOH, October 11 — The Health Ministry (MOH) plans to expand the Hospital Services Outsourcing Programme (HSOP) in Budget 2027, which allocates RM200 million, to address growing patient demand and shorten waiting times, according to Deputy Health Director-General (Medical) Datuk Dr Mohd Azman Yacob. The additional funding allows the ministry to refer more patients to private hospitals for faster treatment.

MOH's HSOP has already proven effective, notably reducing waiting times for Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, which once took three to six months. Introduced in 2024, HSOP currently aids patients seeking treatment in nephrology, cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, pediatric cardiology, and radiology.

Under the expanded program, the government subsidizes the costs, with patients paying only the rates charged by government hospitals. Patients are selected based on urgent treatment and diagnostic procedure requirements, assessed by specialists in government hospitals.