Cabinet mulls over regulating TPA

The cabinet is looking into regulating Third Party Administrators (TPA) since there are no mechanisms under present laws to do so.

“The cabinet is considering a memorandum from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Loving Minister (KPDN) and requested the Health Ministry to refine the proposal and consider regulatory measures on TPA,” said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.

“TPA cannot be regulated under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 (PHFSA) because it is not interpreted as private healthcare facilities and services.

“The Malaysian Competition Commission (MyCC) and KPDN too revealed that there are no regulatory mechanisms under the present laws.”

Schedule 7 of the Private Health Care Facilities and Services Regulations under the PHFSA regulates the consultation and procedural fees of general practitioners.

Dzulkefly said the above in his written reply to Dr Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen (PH-Bandar Kuching) who queried the government’s plans to revise the consultation fees of medical general practitioners and plans for to regulate the TPA.

As for revising the consultation fees, a revision proposal has been tabled at the National Action Council on Cost of Living (NACCOL) Supreme Council Meeting and the NACCOL Executive Committee Special Meeting.

Most recently TPA came under the spotlight for telling private hospitals to prioritise local anaesthesia over general anaesthesia.