Saturday, August 11, 2012

Periodic health checks for employees after 40

It's should be a concern to all of us, especially women, that we actually start losing bone mass as early as 30. Well, that's at least what the adverts on electronic media (especially TV) keep drilling into our heads on regular basis.

Health check
Illustrative image: monash.edu


But what should concerns us more is the facts unveiled by Human Resources Ministry about the build up of illnesses - that went undetected - during our prime years and by the time we get past 40 we suddenly have to fork out substantial amount of our savings for treatment. Or, in the case of private sector employees, Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) being the party to shoulder the financial burden.

Human Resourses Ministry is saying now that workers in the private sector maybe required to undergo periodic health screening upon reaching age 40 due to the increasing number of health problems recorded in recent years.

For a relatively small population like Malaysia, the compensation payout is considered substantial:

2011 - RM1.8 billion
2010 - RM1.6 billion
2009 - RM1.3 billion
E.g. Dialysis treatment cost increased by 19% in 2011 compared to 2010.

You may say "Heck, I'm young. I'm only 22". The simple fact is that "Detecting a diseases early will reduce the risk to you and me compared with diagnosing the disease at a late stage or chronic stage".

So, there.

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The full article: Periodic health checks for employees after 40
by Malay Mail, August 10, 2012

Workers in the private sector maybe required to undergo periodic health screening upon reaching age 40 said the Deputy Minister of Human Resources Datuk Maznah Mazlan. She said the matter was being studied by the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) to detect health problems and diseases at the early stage among workers.

"The total number of health problem cases recorded under SOCSO is increasing each year, that is for last year alone, SOCSO paid nearly RM1.8 billion in compensation and benefits to its members and contributors.

"The total is increasing each year, from RM1.3 billion in 2009 to RM1.6 billion in 2010. Payments cover cost of medication and treatment which involves diseases and accidents," she said after visiting the Mawar Hemodialysis Centre (MHC) and the presentation of a dialysis machine to the MHC branch in Kuala Pilah and Bahau yesterday.

According to Maznah, should a health problem or disease be detected early, it was not only good for the workers involved, it would also ease the burden of SOCSO from paying high compensation. "Detecting a diseases early will reduce the risk to the worker compared with diagnosing the disease at a late stage or chronic stage," she said.

In this regard, Maznah said SOCSO had spent RM92.5 million in 2011 to pay for dialysis treatment to members who had subscribed to the organisation. The total had increased almost 19 per cent compared with RM77.2 million spent in 2010 for the same purpose.

"As at June this year, SOCSO has spent RM43.5 million to pay for such treatment cost and at the moment, SOCSO has appointed 366 dialysis treatment centres nationwide," she said.

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