GPs and the Fee schedule

The professional fees of your friendly neighbourhood GP have remained unchanged for more than 2 decades and are in fact legislated under the PHFSA 2006.
There was a revision of professional fees in 2013 but unfortunately GPs practising in the clinic were excluded. GPs have requested a harmonisation of fees and reassured there will not be any increase in the total cost of fees in the GP visit
At a previous Town Hall meeting in August last year, it seemed the YB Health Minister had given his support

The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) wishes to thank the Health Ministry and stakeholders at the Town Hall meeting held on Aug 27 regarding the amendment of Schedule 7 of the PHFSA Regulations for Clinics containing the general practitioner’s fees.
The agreement for amendment is actually a harmonisation of General Practitioner’s fees from the Malaysian Medican Association 4th fees schedule way back in 2002 recommending simple consultation of RM35 to complex consultation of RM125.
The town hall meeting was for the purpose of gazettement of the 2002 recommendation so that general practitioner’s fees are regulated with a sustainable quantum.
MMA wishes to assure the public that these fees gazettement will not reflect an increase in total overall medical charges as the majority of general practitioner’s consultations is simple as shown by the statistics as well as cross-subsidies from medication charges.
In reality, the foreseeable benefits will be a more sustainable general practice that will provide more cost-efficient and core medical services to the public, uplifting better care and maintaining primary care as the backbone of healthy services.

However despite this, the Cabinet, in it’s wisdom, had decided in April 2019, to reject this request for harmonisation of GP fees.
The medical profession is now very concerned this could sound the Death Knell for GPs. Hundreds of GP clinics have already closed and more will likely close in the future as GP practice becomes more unsustainable.

YB Health Minister has called for another Town Hall Meeting to discuss this debacle with GPs

More information and links to a special Telegram group for GPs on the Fee schedule is available in DOBBS, the online community for Malaysian doctors.
The link to the announcement post which summarises all of the above and also has the agenda for discussion during the Town Hall Meeting as proposed by the MMA is:
https://dobbs.my/forum/index.php?topic=1158