If you are 60 or older and your medical insurance premium has gone up, BNM’s interim measures include a specific provision for you: a 12-month pause on premium increases caused by medical claims inflation. This applies if you are on the minimum plan of your medical product — and it is something you need to request, not something that happens automatically.
What the Premium Pause Actually Means
The interim measures allow insurers to temporarily defer premium adjustments for policyholders aged 60 and above who are covered under the minimum plan of their medical product. “Minimum plan” means the basic coverage tier — if you are on an upgraded, enhanced, or top-tier plan, this specific deferment provision does not apply to you.
The deferment covers one full year from your next policy anniversary. During that 12 months, your premium stays where it is — the insurer cannot apply a medical claims inflation repricing increase on top of what you are already paying.
What this deferment does not do: it does not cancel the increase permanently. The amount is deferred, not forgiven. Once the 12-month window ends, your insurer will resume the repricing schedule. The purpose is to give you breathing room — time to review your options, transition to a more suitable plan, or arrange your finances — rather than to eliminate the increase entirely.
The deferment also does not apply to age-band increases. If you are stepping into a higher age bracket at your next renewal (for example, moving from the 55-59 band to the 60-64 band), that component of your premium increase is a pre-agreed actuarial step and is not covered by BNM’s interim measures. Only the medical claims inflation repricing component qualifies for the pause.
The RM 60 Million Fund and the Base MHIT Plan
BNM’s response to the repricing crisis goes beyond the 12-month deferment. The government, insurers, and private hospitals together contributed RM 60 million to a dedicated fund specifically aimed at helping older policyholders. This fund has two roles:
- Development of the Base MHIT plan — a new standardised medical insurance product that all participating insurers will offer, designed to be affordable and sustainable
- Transition support — facilitating the move of policyholders aged 60 and above to the Base MHIT plan, particularly for those on minimum plans who are most at risk of being priced out of coverage
The Base MHIT plan is expected to launch in early 2027. For seniors, the plan carries a higher annual limit than the standard Base MHIT: RM 150 000 per year, compared to RM 100 000 for policyholders under 60. This higher limit reflects the greater likelihood of hospitalisation and treatment costs in older age groups.
The RM 60 million contribution is a structural acknowledgement that seniors face a disproportionate burden from medical inflation repricing. If you are in this age group, you are the direct target of this relief effort.
How to Claim the Premium Deferment
The process requires you to initiate it. Your insurer will not automatically apply the deferment to every policyholder who qualifies.
- Confirm you are on a minimum plan — check your policy documents or call your insurer to confirm your plan tier. If you have upgraded your plan at any point, ask whether your current tier qualifies as the minimum product for that medical card series
- Contact your insurer before your next policy anniversary — the deferment applies from the next anniversary date, so timing matters. If your policy renews in September and you call in October, you may have already missed the window for that cycle
- Reference the BNM interim measures explicitly — say you are aged 60 or above, on a minimum plan, and you want to apply for the 12-month premium deferment under BNM’s interim measures for MHIT policyholders
- Keep a record — ask for written confirmation (email or letter) that the deferment has been applied to your policy and the exact date from which it runs
If your insurer is slow to respond or unclear about whether you qualify, contact BNMLINK at 1-300-88-5465. They handle consumer queries related to the interim measures directly.
Thinking Beyond the 12-Month Window
The deferment gives you time, but it is not a long-term solution on its own. The 12 months should be used productively — not simply as a delay.
If you are on a minimum plan and finding the premiums increasingly difficult to manage, there are a few directions worth discussing with an adviser:
- Stay on your current plan and transition to the Base MHIT when it launches in early 2027 — the RM 150 000 annual limit for seniors is meaningfully better than many basic plans currently on the market
- Review whether your current medical card coverage still matches your actual needs — some seniors are over-insured for conditions they no longer need to cover, and right-sizing the plan can reduce premiums
- Understand what a policy review involves before making any changes — switching plans at 60+ can introduce underwriting risks that are worth understanding in advance
The goal is to arrive at the end of the 12-month deferment with a clear plan, not another scramble to manage an unaffordable renewal.
Frequently Asked Questions
I am 62 years old. Do I need to do anything to get the premium pause?
Yes — you need to contact your insurer and formally request the deferment. Confirm that you are on the minimum plan tier for your medical product and reference BNM’s interim measures. The pause will not be applied automatically. Initiate the request before your next policy anniversary date.
What counts as a “minimum plan”?
The minimum plan is the base coverage tier within your medical product series — the entry-level version without any upgrades or add-ons. If you have ever paid to upgrade your room type, increase your annual limit, or add a rider that enhanced your coverage, you may no longer be on the minimum plan. Ask your insurer directly to confirm your plan classification.
My premium went up because I turned 61. Does the deferment apply?
Not to the age-band portion of the increase. The deferment applies only to the medical claims inflation repricing component. Age-band increases — the scheduled steps in premium that occur when you move to a higher age group — are a pre-agreed part of your policy pricing and are not subject to BNM’s interim measures.
What is the Base MHIT annual limit for seniors compared to the standard plan?
The Base MHIT plan for policyholders aged 60 and above carries an annual limit of RM 150 000. The standard Base MHIT for policyholders under 60 carries RM 100 000. The higher senior limit reflects the greater hospitalisation and treatment costs that come with age.
What happens after the 12-month deferment ends?
Your insurer will resume the repricing schedule. The increase that was paused will be applied, subject to BNM’s broader cap of under 10% per year for at least 80% of policyholders. Ideally, you will have used the 12 months to review your plan, understand your options for transitioning to the Base MHIT, and stabilise your financial planning around the future premium level.
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