Free insurance coverage for B40 from Jan 1

Courtesy of The Malaysian Reserve

Beginning  1st January 2019, the Government will offer a free insurance scheme worth RM2 billion to individuals between the ages of 18 to 55 within the 4.1 million B40 households. This scheme will provide medical coverage for 5 years to the targeted recipients.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said that the Government will be introducing a National Protection Scheme beginning Jan 1 next year, to provide free insurance and takaful protection for 36 critical illnesses for qualified low-income households or B40.

The scheme is an initial step by the federal government to widen access to health services for vulnerable groups. Lim said the scheme will provide health protection against 36 critical illnesses, for qualified recipients with payment up to RM8,000.

“Registration can be made electronically over the internet without the use of paper forms and no medical examination is required for qualification checks.

Lim said coverage under the scheme commences Jan 1, 2019 and the scheme’s registration and customer support services will be in operation from March 1, 2019.

“The scheme also gives daily payments as income replacement in the event of hospitalisation for up to 14 days at RM50 per day or RM700 per year,” he said.

“All qualified recipients under the scheme will be notified through SMS messages,” Lim said, adding that further information on the mechanism and implementation of the scheme will be disclosed when it is officially launched in early 2019.