Gerakan has asked the Ministry of Health to provide more details on the National Health Financing Scheme (NHFS) as the public needs to know how the scheme can work and its benefits.

The party’s central committee member Dr Hsu Dar Ren said there were many questions which needed answers.

He asked whether NHFS was similar to Socso where premium was being deducted monthly from worker’s wages. And what about the unemployed and retirees, those who do not have the money to pay the premium, those who do not have a fixed income, no more working or are self-employed? Will these groups of people be covered by NHFS?

Dr Hsu hoped the scheme would not add to the financial burden of the people, especially the working class.

“And the big question is ‘Who will be funding for the NHFS? What is only known is that the government will pay for the 1.1 million civil servants, 200,000 disabled, 430,000 pensioners and the poor,” he said.

Dr Hsu said it was highly probable that every employer, employee and the self employed would be asked to contribute to this fund.

“If it is so, then NHFS will be like a form of compulsory health insurance for individuals and a form of additional tax on the part of the employer. The amount of premium is not known, but if the implementation of NHFS brings about a tremendous increase in healthcare costs, everyone in this category will have to pay more,” he said.

The government, he said, must do away with the perceived secrecy involved in formulation of this scheme which should be done in an open, transparent and consultative manner.

“Feedback must be obtained from medical associations, workers’ unions, stakeholders, consumer bodies, he said, adding that any change in healthcare system should be discussed openly with “interest groups” since it is going to affect everyone.