Thousands surrender medical policies as Malaysia prepares affordable MediAsas cover

Approximately 340,000 private medical insurance policies have been surrendered by Malaysians who can no longer afford the rising premiums, according to Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad. To address the growing demand for affordable healthcare, the government is set to introduce MediAsas, a financial safety net for middle-income Malaysians beginning in January 2027.

The MediAsas initiative aims to provide basic medical coverage with transparent cost controls, ensuring that no Malaysian is pushed into poverty solely due to medical treatment needs.

A pilot program has been operating in the Klang Valley since late July, allowing policyholders to pay for their coverage through flexible payments sourced from the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Akaun Sejahtera. The Finance Ministry has announced that MediAsas will be available as both a standalone medical insurance plan and a takaful plan for individuals up to the age of 85, with two options: MediAsas Teras (standard plan) and MediAsas Fleksi (standard-plus plan).

In addition to the MediAsas scheme, the Medical Assistance Fund has been increased by 50% to RM60 million from RM40 million to assist vulnerable groups with the costs of expensive medical equipment, such as bone implants and cardiac stents. Furthermore, an additional RM80 million has been allocated to the PeKa B40 healthcare scheme for lower-income Malaysians.