{
  "id": 10453107,
  "title": "Can MediAsas keep medical bills from breaking the bank?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/can-mediasas-keep-medical-bills-from-breaking-the-bank",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-28T12:49:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/09/28/can-mediasas-keep-medical-bills-from-breaking-the-bank"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Malaysia's MediAsas aims to protect families from devastating medical bills by providing basic medical insurance and takaful coverage. Currently, only 22% of Malaysians have medical coverage, leaving many individuals vulnerable to high medical costs. MediAsas is a new basic medical insurance and takaful plan set to roll out nationwide in January 2027, providing an umbrella of protection for those who opt in. However, its coverage is limited and not intended to replace existing high-limit medical cards or replace Malaysia's public healthcare system. The policy offers RM100,000 in annual coverage for those below 60 and RM150,000 for those above 60. While this is lower than the million-ringgit limits common in the market, MediAsas is designed to be more accessible, particularly for individuals with pre-existing conditions. It offers guaranteed renewal up to age 85 and no lifetime benefit limit, meaning that getting older should not automatically exclude someone from coverage as long as they continue paying the premiums.",
  "summary": "MediAsas aims to give more people a basic layer of medical protection they can afford, then build wider healthcare reforms around it.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Can MediAsas keep medical bills from breaking the bank?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/can-mediasas-keep-medical-bills-from-breaking-the-bank-10456187",
        "published": "2026-09-28T12:49:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}