Medical Cost Malaysia 2026 — Government vs Private Hospital

Government hospital (MOH): Outpatient RM1, specialist clinic RM5 for Malaysian citizens. Non-citizens pay RM40 outpatient, RM120 specialist. Private GP: RM80-180 including medication. Private specialist first visit: RM150-350. Consultant/sub-specialist: RM250-600. PHFSA 13th Schedule caps consultation fees but facility fees are separate.

Government hospital is heavily subsidised for citizens — consultation RM1-5, 3rd-class ward RM3/day, normal delivery RM10. Private hospitals charge market rates: consultation RM80-350, ward RM300-1,500/day, normal delivery RM5,000-15,000. Trade-off: government = cheap but long queues (weeks-months for specialist); private = immediate access but 50-100x the cost.

Yes, but only partially. PHFSA 2006 13th Schedule caps specialist CONSULTATION fees (RM35-235 first visit, RM15-150 follow-up). But facility fees, equipment fees, and procedures are NOT capped — they're set by each private hospital. Actual billed amounts are typically 2-3x the capped consultation fee due to these additional charges.

Strongly recommended if you use private healthcare. A single heart attack in private hospital can cost RM50,000-150,000. Cancer treatment RM200,000-500,000. Typical medical card: RM2,000-5,000/year for RM100k-500k annual / RM1m lifetime coverage. From Sep 2024, BNM mandates minimum 5% co-payment for new MHIT policies. Government hospital remains a safety net — RM1 outpatient and RM3/day ward for citizens.

Non-citizens at MOH hospitals pay amended 2017 rates: outpatient RM40, specialist clinic RM120, 3rd-class ward RM126/day, normal delivery RM800+, C-section RM3,000+. These are still cheaper than private hospitals but 30-100x the citizen rates. Work permit holders and permanent residents pay same rates as non-citizens unless specific exemption.