Of medical insurance, heart disease and overworked government heart specialists
Malaysians are very fortunate that they have access to medical care for as little as RM1.00. This is something many Malaysians take for granted. For RM5.00 they can even see a specialist. Granted, by and by service is not perfect or immediate but it is available.
For me, I do not take this for granted. I do go to the hospital clinics and hospitals. Why not? They have quality medicine. The mighty ringgit a foreigner told me when I told him I only paid RM1.00 for a visit to the hospital.
Unfortunately, for many of the medical facilities in the country, their resources are swamped by the overwhelming needs of the community. It is made worse by foreigners who swamp the hospitals for treatment. I am not referring to the wealthy tourists who pump in money to our medical industry. Many families too are now leaving family clinics for the government hospital due to financial constraints.
However treatment at government hospitals are not always the best alternative. A friend of mine was told to come back after 3 months for another check-up. However as he was insistent he wasn’t his usual self he flew over to a private hospital in Kuching. It so happened that there was a specialist from Singapore at that time. He had almost immediate heart surgery and from the surgery it was found out that he would have died if he had waited. The total bill : RM28000 thereabouts.
History of the case:
It was a rainy day. He had sent his children to school. It was a rainy day. He felt stressed as he was behind his schedule. Due to floods, he couldn’t use his car, so he decided to use his motor-bike instead. At one juncture he had to push thorugh knee deep water. Suddenly, in his own word, “He felt like a big clamp on his chest. He was totally weak like someone had shut off the power.”
However he managed to reach home. He could only walk a few steps before feeling tired. His wife rushed home from work and sent him to the hospital. The nurse at the hospital said that the specialist had a long list of patients on the waiting list. The earliest appointment would be in three months time. She is not kidding. It is the same in most hospitals in Malaysia. The heart surgeon is like a demi-God. His decisions could mean the difference between life and death for some patients.
The reason I bring up this topic is medical care insurance. Many of us do not think of emergencies. A big bill like that may overwhelm many families. Medical care insurance is not a luxury. You never know when you may need it. I am not talking about being patriotic or that it will save our country money etc. It is just that it is a good idea.
Families especially the bread winner should set aside money for medical insurance. ( This is not a sponsored post ) Just that a chat with this 41 year-old-friend of mine who is still alive testifies to the need of being prepared for such emergencies.
Treatment for heart problems should never be delayed. If any of you or your family feel they have a heart problem, send them for treatment immediately.
