A total of 88 private clinics across Sarawak have joined the Senior Citizen Health Benefit (SCHB) scheme, according to Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, Minister for Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development. This initiative aims to alleviate the workload and congestion at government clinics by allowing senior citizens to receive up to RM500 worth of treatment annually at these participating clinics.
Encouraging Participation
Fatimah revealed that out of 419 private clinics surveyed in Sarawak, 88 have agreed to participate as panel clinics for the SCHB scheme. She expressed hope that more clinics would join this initiative to expand the program's reach.
Launch and Eligibility
The SCHB scheme is set to be officially launched by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg on Sarawak Day, July 22, in Bintulu. The first phase, starting next month, will benefit 91,667 senior citizens from the B40 and M40 income groups. These include recipients of State Welfare Department aid and individuals listed in the e-Kasih database.
Senior citizens can check their eligibility for the scheme by visiting sarawak.gov.my and clicking on SCHB. [However, a check at sarawak.gov.my could not locate any information or link on SCHB (26 June 2024).]
Services Offered
Under the SCHB initiative, senior citizens can receive treatments for common ailments such as fever, cold, headaches, diarrhoea, vomiting, sprains, skin allergies, light irritation, gout, and light wounds. They are also entitled to dental services, including tooth removal, tooth filling, and dentures.
However, the scheme does not cover follow-up treatments for chronic diseases, health screenings, telemedicine services, aesthetic treatments, or ambulance services.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the SCHB scheme, applicants must be Malaysian citizens holding a ‘K’ status identity card, aged 60 and above as of July 1, with a monthly household income of RM7,000 or below, and not receiving any other funding or treatment protection from other agencies.
Cashless Transactions
The SCHB scheme will operate on a cashless basis. Participating clinics will enter the details of the services provided into a system developed by Sarawak Information System (Sains).
Upcoming Meeting
Fatimah mentioned that a meeting would be held with the panel clinics to brief them on the types of services they can offer to senior citizens under the SCHB scheme.
This initiative marks a significant step towards improving healthcare accessibility for senior citizens in Sarawak, ensuring they receive necessary medical attention without overburdening public healthcare facilities.
Source: The Borneo Post
Fatimah: 88 private clinics across Sarawak join Senior Citizen Health Benefit panel
