KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM40,200 has been paid out to 97 individuals under the mySalam scheme since it was launched on Jan 24.
The recipients are among 1,094 persons who have filed claims under the scheme, according to Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah.
Amiruddin told the Dewan Rakyat that of all the claims approved and disbursed, 95 were for hospitalisation and two for critical illnesses.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim (Batang Lupar-GPS) who wanted to know the number of those in the B40 Group who have registered for mySalam.
The scheme was introduced with a RM2 billion start-up capital from Great Eastern Insurance and Takaful.
Recipients of the Bantuan Sara Hidup, who are aged 18 to 55, and who comprise the poorest 40% of Malaysians, are eligible for mySalam benefits. The scheme provides them with free health protection for 36 critical illnesses.
But unlike health insurance schemes that see hospitals being reimbursed for medical expenses incurred, recipients of mySalam are paid RM50 per day for every day that they are hospitalised.
It is expected to benefit up to 3.8 million people.
Amiruddin pointed out that those in the B40 Group did not receive any income if they were hospitalised, especially if they were self-employed.
He also urged MPs to get those eligible to sign up for the scheme.
To Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed (Jeli-PH) who wanted to know if the scheme would be made permanent, Amiruddin said the current plan was to keep the scheme going for five years to see if it proved beneficial to the B40 Group, after which the government would determine if it should be continued.
