Health insurance in Malaysia for expats

Like many countries, Malaysia has a two-tier healthcare system where public and private care facilities work in parallel.

The public healthcare system in Malaysia is available to all Malaysian citizens, as well as foreign expats who have legal residency in Malaysia. Care isn’t free at the point of use, but the Malaysian government heavily subsidises the cost of appointments, procedures and surgeries. That way, a good standard of care is available to the vast majority of Malaysian people, many of whom are on low incomes.

There’s also a range of private healthcare facilities, mainly in the big cities, which offer a much higher standard of care and attention. The cost of accessing the private healthcare system in Malaysia is naturally much higher than the public alternative, but can be made more affordable through international health insurance or private health cover. Some employers in Malaysia also offer private health insurance as an employee benefit.

The combination of decent care, combined with heavy government subsidies, means that the demand for public healthcare outstrips supply. This often leads to overcrowding and long waiting times for appointments and treatments.

On the other hand, private healthcare benefits – such as state-of-the-art equipment, world-class specialists and personalised services – are much more readily available thanks to shorter waiting times. Because of the better care available, and faster access to it, many affluent Malaysians choose to use the private healthcare system, particularly when needing highly specialised treatments and procedures.

There are large differences in cost between public and private healthcare in Malaysia.¹ For example:

¹Malaysian Ringgit (RM) 

All foreign expats employed by a business in Malaysia are legally required to be enrolled in the Foreign Workers Hospitalisation and Surgical Scheme (FWHS). This entitles foreign workers to a limited amount of care in public facilities free of charge, including emergency and non-emergency treatment, and overnight stays in hospital, including intensive care units.

Any legal residents in Malaysia are eligible to access the public healthcare system, and receive the same subsidies that Malaysians do. This is especially valuable for foreign expats living outside the major cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Johor, as the availability of private healthcare facilities can be much sparser in rural areas.

Malaysia also runs a scheme called ‘Malaysia My Second Home’, which enables public healthcare access for expats who can prove that they earn at least MYR 10,000 per month from offshore sources of income.²

Anyone who is in Kuala Lumpur on a tourist visa will not be eligible for subsidised public healthcare and will have to pay full price. While all tourists should have travel insurance in place, anyway, taking out specific short term  international health insurance coverage enables access to private facilities that can provide higher-quality care as required.

What kind of documentation do I need to access healthcare in Malayusia?

You should visit your local clinic or hospital with a valid passport, visa, and either your work permit or permanent residency card. It’s also recommended to bring proof of address, income and employment with you, as you may also be asked for these during the registration process.

If you don’t qualify for the subsidised private healthcare system, then taking out private medical cover is the only way you can be sure to get the care you need, when you need it. With fewer people eligible for private care compared to the public system, it means you can avoid the risk of long waiting times or overcrowding in public hospitals It also means that if you want to take advantage of private facilities, you can do so without running up large bills on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis

What are the benefits of private health insurance in Malaysia?

The benefits of having private medical insurance in Malaysia don’t just cover your physical health – they   can make a real difference to your mental and financial wellbeing, too:

Better care: without the risk of overcrowding or overworked staff, private clinicians and doctors can provide more focused and personalised care to each patient, no matter what their medical concern.

Shorter waiting times: instead of having to wait weeks or months to get treatment or surgery from public healthcare, going private can often allow you to get the medical attention you need in a matter of days.

Better facilities: private hospitals and clinics are generally better placed to invest in new technology and equipment and provide more space for each patient.

Easier appointment bookings: many private healthcare providers will allow you to book appointments online as well as over the phone, so you can access the help you need quickly, without stress or complication.

Access to specialists: private healthcare in Malaysia gets you access  to   qualified specialists who can provide excellent care for specific problems.

Greater comfort and peace of mind: opting for quieter, more comfortable private facilities, paid for by insurance cover, can take much of the worry and uncertainty about getting medical treatment and how to afford it.

Would I need dental insurance in Malaysia?

There’s some public dental care available in Malaysia to anyone who makes social security contributions, but it’s still limited. For more advanced treatment, you’ll most likely need to go private. This can be paid for on a pay- as- you go basis, but this has the potential to get very expensive, very quickly. Including dental cover in your private health insurance can help you avoid big bills.

Malaysia has two different numbers for calling an ambulance: 999 if calling from a landline, and 112 if calling from a mobile phone. The same numbers can be used for calling the police. For the fire brigade, call 994. 

If you need to contact a private hospital in an emergency, then each individual hospital has its own contact number. It’s best to look-up and make a note of the numbers for the hospitals local to you.