(June 15): The Health Ministry wrote off RM30.47 million in unpaid medical fees from local and foreign patients alike between 2012 and 2014, the second series of the Auditor-General's Report has revealed.

The medical fees were accrued from 2005 to 2007, the A-G's Report said, adding that RM15.44 million of the fees were from local patients and another RM15.03 million were from foreigners.

The report also noted that there was an increase in the amount of medical fees written off each year.

In 2012, the ministry wrote off RM6.14 million from unpaid medical bills accrued in 2005; in 2013, RM12.16 million was written off for medical bills from 2006; and in 2014, it wrote off RM12.17 million for bills from 2007.

"There has been an increase of RM6.04 million (98.2%) in write-offs in 2013 compared to the previous year, and an increase in RM4,122 in 2014 compared to the previous year," read the report.

The report also found that hospitals had yet to recover RM82.98 million in medical fees from their patients between 2012 and 2014.

Some RM34.55 million of unpaid fees were accrued from local patients, while RM48.43 million were from foreign patients.

In 2012, RM28.57 million in medical fees remain unpaid; RM27.11 million in 2013; and RM27.30 in 2014, said the report.

In its response, the Health Ministry said local patients failed to pay their medical fees because they were unable to afford it; they were unconscious and not accompanied by anyone when admitted; they had changed their addresses; their personal information was not accurate; or additional charges were made after the patient was discharged.

In the case of foreign patients who failed to pay up, the ministry said they either used false identification cards or passports when checking into the hospital; they used an old or false address; or employers refused to pay the medical bills.

The ministry said it had taken several steps to rectify this, including setting up a 24-hour registration counter for deposits; accepting only emergency cases; and informing patients of their bills through telephone, notice of reminders and letters of demand. – The Malaysian Insider