From RM120 a month to over RM300, rising medical card premiums have prompted one Malaysian man to question whether long-term coverage is still worth it.
His post has since sparked widespread discussion on why many seniors eventually opt out.
A Malaysian man has sparked discussion online after sharing his thoughts on why many older workers choose to terminate their medical cards, arguing that the decision is often driven by long-term cost concerns rather than financial hardship.
In a post shared on social media, the man said it was only as he grew older that he began to understand why some seniors at his workplace no longer maintained private medical insurance coverage.
Rising premiums over time fuel doubts
According to him, many of these individuals had been paying into medical cards for years, but eventually chose to cancel them as the monthly premiums steadily increased.
He explained that his own medical card initially cost RM120 per month. After nearly 10 years, the premium rose to over RM200, and as he approached 40 years old, it had climbed to more than RM300 a month for the medical card alone.
This figure, he added, did not include additional coverage such as hibah, nor insurance for a spouse or children.
“It’s not that they can’t afford it,” he said, referring to seniors who cancelled their plans.
It just starts to feel like a waste, especially if you’ve never made a claim.”
‘I’m not encouraging anyone to cancel’
The man stressed that his post was not meant to persuade others to terminate their medical cards, but rather to share his personal dilemma.
He noted that his premiums had almost doubled since he first started contributing around a decade ago, despite never having made a single claim.
“Alhamdulillah, I’ve been healthy and never had to use my medical card,” he wrote.
So don’t be too quick to judge seniors who don’t have one. You haven’t felt what it’s like to pay RM300 to RM400 every month for over 10 years without claiming anything.”
He also pointed out that government hospital services in Malaysia were not as bad as some people claimed, suggesting this was another reason some felt comfortable letting go of private coverage.
Netizens highlight long waits & private hospital access
In response, several netizens shared differing views, particularly on the realities of public healthcare.
One commenter noted that while government hospitals do have many specialists, doctors often ask patients whether they have a medical card because follow-up appointments at public hospitals can take months.
They added that many specialists work in both public and private hospitals, which explains why patients can sometimes see the same doctor within a week at a private facility compared to a three-month wait at a government hospital.
Some users questioned why private hospital charges were significantly higher when payments were made through medical cards compared to cash, despite similar treatment and billing.
Others shared calculations of their own, with one individual claiming to have paid nearly RM25,000 in premiums without making a single claim.
Another estimated that continuing payments until age 60 could amount to roughly RM80,000, suggesting it could alternatively serve as a personal hospital savings fund.
However, several netizens cautioned against cancelling coverage too quickly, sharing personal experiences of unexpected illness.
One commenter said they had paid for a medical card for 10 years without claiming anything, only to be diagnosed with chronic bronchitis and pneumonia after turning 30, resulting in frequent hospitalisation.
They claimed government hospitals were no longer an option for them, while private hospitals allowed admission without deposits, with insurance covering most costs which ultimately exceeded what they had paid in premiums over the years.
A decision that depends on circumstances
Others took a middle-ground view, suggesting that those who feel financially burdened could reduce benefits and retain basic coverage instead of cancelling entirely.
Several agreed that while government hospitals are not as poor as often portrayed, access to both public and private healthcare can depend on timing and luck.
In the end, many concluded that whether to keep or cancel a medical card comes down to individual financial capacity and risk tolerance.
As one netizen summed it up: “Listen to your heart and ask your wallet.”
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