Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme charges are cheaper: Dr Hilmi

KUALA LUMPUR: The Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme (VHIS) to be implemented by the government next year is cheaper compared to the private health insurance scheme, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya.
He said the VHIS would be cheaper as it would be implemented by an agency under the Health Ministry and it was not profit oriented.
"The rate of insurance is increasing, probably the insurance coverage offered is wider thus the premium cost would be higher and there is an element of profit. However, the VHIS is not based on the concept of profit.
"The premium for coverage is expected to be lower compared to the insurance coverage offered in the market," he said when replying to the supplementary question by Senator Datuk Chai Kim Sen who wanted to know the difference between the VHIS and the existing health insurance scheme, at the Dewan Negara sitting today.
At the tabling of the 2018 Budget on Oct 27, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced an allocation of RM50 million for the VHIS to empower the health sector. — Bernama