Senate Panel Proposes Cashless Health Insurance for Employees
A parliamentary committee has recommended introducing a cashless health insurance scheme for Senate Secretariat employees and their eligible family members.
Under the proposed system, employees’ existing medical allowance could be used to pay the insurance premium instead of continuing with the current medical reimbursement arrangement.
The proposed group health insurance plan could cover around 6,767 employees and eligible dependents. If implemented, employees would be able to receive treatment through the insurance network without having to pay the full hospital bill upfront and then seek reimbursement.
The recommendation was discussed during a meeting of the sub-committee of the Executive Committee of the Senate Secretariat Employees Welfare Fund, chaired by Senator Amir Waliuddin.
The committee asked officials to further examine the proposal in consultation with the State Life Insurance Corporation. Officials were also directed to explore the possibility of a government-to-government arrangement.
Committee members sought detailed information about the proposed scheme, including its coverage, premium rates, terms and conditions and other relevant features.
Members also stressed that the proposal should be thoroughly reviewed before implementation to ensure that employees and their families can access medical services without unnecessary difficulties.
The committee agreed in principle that employees should not be permitted to receive both medical reimbursement and insurance benefits for the same treatment.
Officials were also asked to provide estimates of future insurance premiums and assess the potential financial impact on the Senate Secretariat.
The committee noted that the existing reimbursement process can be difficult for employees because they have to pay medical expenses themselves before applying for reimbursement. A group insurance arrangement could provide a different mechanism for accessing healthcare, subject to the final terms and approval of the proposed scheme.
