MediAsas opens in January 2027: what it means for your current medical card

1 November 2026 · Analysis · Hospitals & specialist centres

MediAsas, the standard basic medical insurance and takaful plan, opens to the public in January 2027 with two versions: Teras, with about RM100,000 a year of cover and small deductibles, and Fleksi, with RM300,000 a year but a RM10,000 to RM15,000 yearly deductible. Final premiums are not yet published, so most people should keep their current medical card until they can compare real prices and exclusions side by side.

What has been confirmed

Bank Negara has been piloting MediAsas in the Klang Valley since late July 2026, ahead of a nationwide launch in January 2027. At a briefing reported by RinggitPlus, BNM set out two standard plans with the same terms across participating insurers and takaful operators.

• Teras: about RM100,000 a year in cover, rising to RM150,000 from age 60. Deductible of RM500 per disability at MediAsas panel hospitals (RM1,000 from age 60); at other hospitals, that deductible plus 20% of the bill, capped at RM3,000.
• Fleksi: RM300,000 a year, with a yearly deductible of RM10,000 at panel hospitals or RM15,000 elsewhere.
• Cover runs to age 85. No lifetime limit, according to The Edge.
• Indicative premiums from the Finance Ministry in July: roughly RM60 to RM550 a month for people joining up to age 70. Final prices are due before launch.
• Budget 2027 proposes a RM200 first-year premium subsidy per worker for eligible SMEs, up to 50 workers per company.

The fine print that matters

Pre-existing conditions are a standard exclusion. RinggitPlus reports a 30-day waiting period for everything except accidents and 120 days for specified illnesses. After seven years of continuous cover, insurers can only look back at undeclared conditions in limited cases. Premiums are to be reviewed every year, with BNM aiming for smaller, steadier increases than recent medical card repricing.

The existing industry measure that spreads medical premium increases over at least three years runs until the end of 2026, which is why the timing of MediAsas matters for people facing a large renewal notice.

What to do before January

The biggest risk is cancelling a current policy early and being left without cover, or losing cover for a condition your existing policy already accepts.

• Do not cancel your current medical card until you have a MediAsas quote and policy document in hand.
• Compare like with like: annual limit, deductible, panel hospitals, room and board, and exclusions.
• If you have a known condition, ask your insurer in writing how it would be treated under each option.
• Check whether your employer plans to use the SME subsidy or switch the group plan.

Our view

Teras looks designed as a floor for people with no cover or who have been priced out. Fleksi works more like top-up cover for people who can self-fund the first RM10,000 to RM15,000. Neither will be right for everyone, and the decision should wait for published premiums.

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Sources

• MediAsas Teras and Fleksi set to launch with deductibles from RM500 — RinggitPlus
• MediAsas pilot FAQs for customers — Bank Negara Malaysia
• LIAM welcomes RM200 MediAsas subsidy for eligible SME employees — The Star
• New basic medical insurance scheme to roll out next year — The Star

Editorial summary written by Best Malaysia Healthcare. Not medical, legal or financial advice; check the original sources.