MediAsas plan to offer financial, health safety net to Malaysia’s M40, says Dzulkefly

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 - The MediAsas Plan, set to commence in January 2027, aims to offer financial and healthcare security to Malaysia's middle-income group (M40), a demographic grappling with medical inflation. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad revealed that the plan would shield the M40 group through transparent cost management, eliminating hidden or excessive charges.

According to him, 340,000 private insurance policies have been abandoned by policyholders due to inability to pay premiums, prompting the government to introduce this financial safety net. Dzulkefly emphasized that no individual should face poverty solely because they seek medical treatment; hence, the Madani health financial protection scheme is being introduced as an affordable basic protection option.

The MediAsas Plan pilot project, initiated in the Klang Valley since mid-July, also enables policyholders to make adaptable payments using the Employees Provident Fund Akaun Sejahtera (Akaun Dua), thereby easing their monthly financial strain. Furthermore, the Tabung Bantuan Perubatan has been augmented by 50%, reaching RM60 million from the previous RM40 million, specifically earmarked for covering high-cost medical devices like bone implants and heart stents.

The government has allocated RM80 million to the Peduli Kesihatan scheme for the B40 Group (PeKa B40) programme. MediAsas, which extends protection to individuals up to 85 years of age, will be presented as a standalone medical insurance and takaful plan, offering two product options: MediAsas Teras (standard) and MediAsas Flexi (standard-plus).