MediAsas insurance plan to kick off end July

The finance ministry said MediAsas, which comprises a standard plan and a standard-plus option, will involve six insurers and takaful operators and selected hospitals. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: The government has unveiled MediAsas as the brand name for its upcoming base medical and health insurance/takaful (MHIT) plan, which comes in two tiers and offers coverage up to age 85.

The finance ministry said the two tiers are MediAsas Teras, a standard plan, and MediAsas Fleksi, a standard-plus option.

A pilot programme will run in the Klang Valley from the end of July to October, and involve six insurers and takaful operators – AIA Bhd, Allianz Life Insurance Malaysia Bhd, Great Eastern Life Assurance (Malaysia) Bhd, Prudential BSN Takaful Bhd, Etiqa Family Takaful Bhd, and Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Keluarga Bhd – and selected hospitals.

Premiums are expected to range between RM60 and RM550 a month for individuals joining up to age 70, based on current medical claim trends and healthcare cost inflation.

“The pilot programme will validate end-to-end operational readiness, including systems integration, customer journey and operational processes in a controlled environment. Insights gathered from the pilot will help refine implementation arrangements ahead of the nationwide rollout in January 2027,” the ministry said in the statement.

It also said that an independent governance board is also being planned to oversee implementation and protect consumer interests once the scheme is rolled out nationwide.

The MediAsas framework was endorsed by the Joint Ministerial Committee on Private Healthcare Costs, co-chaired by finance minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan and health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad, under the government’s RESET healthcare reform agenda.

In the statement, Amir said the MediAsas was designed with broader eligibility criteria to expand access to medical protection for a wider segment of Malaysians.

“The pilot programme will serve to ensure that the nationwide rollout of MediAsas in 2027 proceeds smoothly and delivers a well-integrated customer journey,” he said.

Dzulkefly said the initiative would be supported by cost-containment measures, including the phased implementation of the Diagnosis-Related Groups billing system in private hospitals, aimed at achieving more sustainable healthcare costs with a stronger focus on value-based care.

“Together with broader healthcare reforms, MediAsas will strengthen consumer confidence and support better health outcomes for Malaysians,” he said.