KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations Malaysia (FPMPAM) has taken note of the gazettement of the revised general practitioner (GP) consultation fee schedule, which came into effect yesterday.

Its president, Dr Shanmuganathan T.V. Ganeson, said the revision marks the first in over 30 years and should be viewed as a long-overdue correction to an outdated fee structure, rather than a conventional fee increase.

“While the revised RM10 to RM80 range provides some flexibility, its real impact will depend on how it is implemented in practice, particularly within existing managed care and third-party administrator (TPA) arrangements, where pricing may not be fully market-driven.

“FPMPAM will be monitoring implementation closely to ensure that the intent of the revision is not undermined in practice,” he said in a statement today.

He noted that consultation fees under Schedule 13, which have remained unchanged since 2013, will require similar attention.

“As a federation representing both GPs and specialists, FPMPAM looks forward to further engagement with the authorities on this next phase,” he said.

Dr Shanmuganathan said the gazette should not be seen as an endpoint, but rather the beginning of continued reform to ensure a fair and sustainable primary care system.

“Reform must be continuous; otherwise, we risk repeating the cycle of delay and correction.

“FPMPAM also believes that the experience of this revision highlights the need for a more structured and regular mechanism for fee review, to avoid prolonged stagnation and ensure timely, evidence-based adjustments that balance affordability with the sustainability of medical practice,” he added.

The amendment, under P.U. (A) 150/2026 to Schedule 7 of the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Regulations 2006, takes effect on April 2. — Bernama