Why All of Us Must Care about 1Care Malaysia?

Heard about 1Care Malaysia healthcare plan? If no, then you must read this article thoroughly word by word. Because the the proposed healthcare system will drastically change the way we seek for treatment in the future. The main issue was "Is it viable to implement 1Care?".

Well, the intention is good for our community. The plan had a very beautiful definition as below:

But...

Concern is always there whenever Government want to implement something and that thing is managed solely by Government. Experience? Got (bad experience). Money? Got, but already drained somewhere (normally). You can't prevent Malaysians from worrying, especially when 1Care touches each and everyone of us for life.

What are the concerns?

1. Each person in different sector have different risk level. How to determine the amount of contributions of each contributor?
   
   
2. Subsequently, how to determine the benefits package each individual entitled to? If the benefits was based on the amount of contribution, then, our existing insurance system already functioning very well now.
   
   
3. Then, you can say that it was community-rated, not risk-rated. That's mean rich are subsidizing the poor, economically active to passive system. But, doesn't rich already pay taxes to government to subsidize them currently?
   
   
4. Level of services of hospitals and choices of hospitals. Can we seek treatment at any hospital, be it general or private hospitals? If not, it will again limit our choice.
   
   
5. Choice? Emm. The proposed 1Care is being made compulsory to all employees and employers to contribute (except government servants). Wait!!! Does this mean that private sector is subsidizing public sector?
   
   
6. A government agency was being set up to manage the pool of money collected from all of us. OMG!!! We are talking billions of ringgit per year. It's a huge huge huge amount which could bought over CIMB bank!!!

Once 1Care was implemented, the following sector will suffer:

1. Private sector. If the said 10% mandatory contribution by each employee is true, most salary based person will switch to personal loan, I think.
   
   
2. Retailers will suffer badly from less disposable income after the mandatory deduction of salary. No more 25% drop in car sales anymore. It's probably 90%.
   
   
3. Property market will slump. Don't forget that our loan applications now is based on net salary, which means deducting your 11% EPF + 10% 1Care + Socso + Tax. How much left?
   
   
4. Private healthcare system. Private hospitals have to lobby smartly to get involved in 1Care system to remain in business. Monopoly game means you have to "pay" more? Good Luck.
   
   
5. Private insurance companies and its agents. A big chunk of their medical policies will be terminated and a big chunk of premiums will flow to the new set up government agency. Thousands of agents will struggle to survive.

Then, why Government proposing 1Care Malaysia? Emm. I got many input from friends and professionals and below could be the 3 reasons behind 1Care:

1. Diversifying the problems of public healthcare system to private healthcare, so that private healthcare was forced to collaborate.
   
   
2. Reducing Government's burden, thus reducing budget deficit, by imposing mandatory contribution from everyone. For us, it's just like another form of income tax.
   
   
3. Hijacking the lucrative insurance business which was dominated by foreign companies (etc. Great Eastern, Allianz, AIA, Prudential, ING...) especially on medical policies. With 1Care, it could effectively grab the market share from them, entrusting government agency as the undisputed largest insurance company in Malaysia.

Finance Malaysia blog is just voicing out the concerns of general public for betterment of Malaysia going forward. Readers were welcome to give comment or feedback. Thanks.