HEALTH is wealth so the saying goes. In some cases, however, it seems that ‘health is making some very wealthy’.
This was the poser on the X platform by netizen Kak Jah Sungai Dua (@XXXbyefelicia) who shared her experience of being lumped with large quantity of medication to treat a sore throat after seeking treatment at the UM Specialist Centre (UMSC).
She asked if there no way to monitor private healthcare providers from carrying out what she views as unethical practices. The poster very pointedly wondered if this was just to make medical supplies sales reps get rich?
Takdak sapa boleh pantau ke swasta suka bagi ubat banyak2 lepas tu nak charge sampai 800-900 kt ubat saja. Nak bg kaya sales rep ke apa.
Lepas tu kita cakap banyak sangat dia kata oh mmg kena sebanyak ni
Agak agak sakit tekak nak bagi ddifflam sampai sekarung. Boleh ja bagi… pic.twitter.com/Mg4Fa7xfVW
— Kak Jah Sungai Dua (@XXXbyefelicia) October 23, 2024
One commenter opined that this was standard operating procedure (SOP) when treatment is billed to insurance companies. However, the poster said her treatment was self-funded.
Some netizens shared advice that a patient has the right to refuse the prescribed medication and instead buy it on their own at external pharmacies.
While another commenter who claimed to be a pharmacist admitted that the mark-up at private clinics and hospitals were bordering on the ridiculous.
While another gave advice on how to avoid getting lumped with huge amount of medication.
One netizen suggested that patients could also seek out generic equivalents of medication to bring the costs down.
Some netizens pointed filing a report to the Private Medical Practice Control Section (CKAPS) which is responsible for monitoring private healthcare enterprises.
Judging from the many comments sharing similar experiences, it does indeed seem like a common issue.
As one netizen summed it up, this could boil down to the “buy cheap, sell high” business model in play.
As helpfully pointed out by one netizen, using the Madani healthcare initiatives is one way to keep costs down.
FocusM firmly believes it is time for the authorities to reign in these unscrupulous healthcare providers. As an incentive, the move will be universally welcomed (except by those unethical clinics and hospitals), hence boosting the government’s popularity ratings. – Oct 25, 2024
