"Only RM17" — Husband Surprised By Wife's Cheap Medical Bill For A 4D3N Hospital Stay
His wife said the hospital provided meals five times a day and the nurses checked on her hourly.
By Parvinsivam Thirunamakarasu — 31 May 2023, 05:23 PM
A Malaysian man was astonished to receive his wife's medical bill at a government hospital in Putrajaya, which amounted to a mere RM17
According to the Facebook post, the man's wife was about to be discharged from Putrajaya Hospital that day, when she told him to pay the bill first.
"I withdrew RM400 from the ATM, and even brought my debit card along in case I didn't have enough cash with me," he said.
He was quite shocked when he discovered his wife's four-day, three-night stay at the hospital only amounted to RM17.
In a state of disbelief, the man asked his wife about the level of care provided by the hospital staff
She told him that they provided meals five times a day and the nurses checked on her hourly.
The man asked his wife to guess the cost of the bill, and she estimated that it was RM300.
"It was RM17 only," he told her.
He also enquired with his colleagues how much they are usually charged when a relative is admitted to the hospital.
"It depends. Sometimes, it's less than RM10," said one of his colleagues.
Since that day, the man said he developed a newfound appreciation and respect for the Malaysian healthcare system
"Despite the long waiting period, it is still a worthwhile choice compared to paying thousands of ringgit for similar services and treatments at private facilities," he added.
Several netizens agreed with the man's post and praised our country's healthcare system
One Facebook user commented that when undergoing a quadruple heart bypass operation at Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA), they were hospitalised for three days and two nights and it only cost them RM360.
"Even though I have insurance coverage, I prefer government hospitals. For my first major operation at HSA, I had to pay more than RM900 but I could claim it back from my insurance later on. For my second major operation, I only had to pay around RM150, stayed for five days at Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI), enjoyed good food, had comfortable rooms, and the staff were kind. We should still be grateful that we live in Malaysia where the government provides assistance," commented another user.
A user commented they are grateful to be in Malaysia because some hospitals in foreign countries don't even provide mattresses for patients.
Another grateful citizen commented, "I was admitted to the hospital for 28 days due to stage five COVID-19. When it was time to leave, I told my husband to prepare some extra money because I had to undergo a CT scan during my stay. Fortunately, my hospital stay was free of charge and I even received RM700 from mySalam."
Another user admitted that healthcare is Malaysia is affordable but the service depends on the hospital and their staff.
