Breast reconstruction, prosthesis a necessity

Breast reconstruction, prosthesis a necessity

Posted on 8 October 2015 - 08:19pm Last updated on 9 October 2015 - 12:06am, Vathani Panirchellvum
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: Breast reconstruction and prosthesis is a necessity and not a cosmetic procedure.

Former cabinet minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz today hit out at Malaysian insurance companies for categorising breast reconstruction and prosthesis as cosmetic as it is a procedure that would help breast cancer patients who had to undergo mastectomy to feel whole again.

In the United States under the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act, mastectomy benefits cover the reconstruction of the breast, any external prostheses for the breast and any complication following the procedure.

"It should be universal with the perception and the understanding of what treatment of breast cancer is. Breast cancer treatment includes making the woman feel 'whole' and building up her self confidence which includes using prosthesis or implants (to reconstruct the removed breast). If that is the part of the treatment to make her well again after the surgery, that should be considered treatment and not cosmetic," Rafidah, who is the patron of the third Women's Health Summit, said at the launch of "Wear It Pink" 2015 campaign organised by Pantai Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

She added the trauma of having to go through cancer and having either one or both breasts removed is unimaginable, and to deny the women the chance to feel whole and to feel woman again is unthinkable.

"In the US this is recognised, patients are able to get insurance companies to pay for it. But here in Malaysia you have to pay for your implants yourself – which is not cheap. Most women are not exactly people who can afford all of these," she added.

Meanwhile, Dr Azlina Firzah Abdul Aziz, the organising chairperson of Pantai Hospital's Wear it Pink campaign, said patients get depressed when they are told that they would have to get their breast removed due to the cancer.

"But when they are told they can get 'new' breasts, suddenly they can smile again. Only when I explain that this would not be covered by insurance and if they have extra funds or savings to pay for the procedure which is readily available in Malaysia, they get depressed all over again," she said.

Obstetricians are quitting

published: Monday July 27, 2015 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Monday July 27, 2015 MYT 7:09:57 AM

Obstetricians are quitting

PETALING JAYA: Senior obstetricians in private practice in the country are opting out of delivering babies as a result of changes in their professional indemnity coverage.

The shortfall of these specialists is expected to create a rise in the workload in government hospitals, increasing the possibility of sub-standards or delays in maternity care.

The Medical Protection Society (MPS), the world’s leading indemnifier of health professionals, changed its policy for obstetricians and gynaecologists this year – from occurrence-based protection to claims-based coverage, under which these doctors have to pay annual premiums for 25 years.

This means if a doctor retires at 60 after delivering a baby, he or she must continue to pay for the coverage until the age of 85.

According to the MPS, the changes were made because of global challenges and risks associated with obstetric claims and litigation.

In Malaysia, the highest protection coverage is taken up by obstetricians, who used to pay more than RM70,000 a year for unlimited indemnity.

Under the claims-based coverage, the amount to be paid annually is lower but the time frame is longer.

More than 500 obstetricians and gynaecologists are covered under MPS, which has over 4,000 members in Malaysia.

MPS has more than 300,000 doctors, dentists and medical students as members worldwide.

Dr Tang Boon Nee of Subang Jaya Medical Centre said many of her colleagues had decided to stop delivering babies as a result of the change in policy.

“As we are liable for up to 25 years after delivering a child, many of us who are older obstetricians will have to pay for coverage well after retirement,” she said.

Dr Tang, who has been an obstetrician for 20 years, said “phenomenally high” damages had been paid out in obstetric claims.

“There was a case last year in which the amount awarded was RM6.9mil. To protect ourselves, we will have to continue paying MPS well into our retirement because of the claims-based system.

“It is not fair as many of us will not be making that much money,” she said.

KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital’s Dr Gunasegaran Rajan said the occurrence-based indemnity had no ceiling on coverage, but claims-based was capped at RM10mil.

“Recent payouts have already touched RM7mil, and this can only increase. I would have to pay out my of own pocket if the damages awarded are above RM10mil.”

He said that his best option was to stop practicing obstetrics as the future left him vulnerable.

“It is a great shame that the skills and knowledge many obstetricians have acquired over the past 25 years cannot be used to help Malaysian women’s maternal health due to this policy,” he said.

Another obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr S. Shankar, said doctors could not run the risk of not being covered.

“We don’t have much choice. Our legislation should come up with a better system, like New Zealand which has a no-fault compensation scheme. Personally I will get out of obstetrics as fast as I can.”

In a statement to The Star, MPS defended its policy change, saying that claims-made protection was the more common form of coverage for obstetricians in many countries.

“Claims-made protection requires members to be in continuous membership both at the time an adverse incident takes place and when it is reported to MPS to make a claim.

“It was introduced to price subscriptions for obstetric risks more accurately and fairly as it can be difficult to predict long-term risks.

“This is because obstetric claims can often arise many years or even decades later,” it said.

MPS assured members that even with the new system they would continue to receive high-quality service and support.

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