The Malaysian government heavily subsidises healthcare, which is paid for out of taxation. It is not a universal system, however, and Malaysia does not have a national health insurance scheme as such. A national plan, 1Care for 1Malaysia, was proposed in 2009 relating to overhauling the system, and based on the principle ‘use according to need, pay according to ability.’ However, implementation of this has so far been non-existent.

In 2011, however, the Malaysian government introduced the Foreign Worker Hospitalisation and Surgical Insurance Scheme (FWHS or SKHPPA), a compulsory scheme run by the Ministry of Health & Immigration Department for expat workers, to protect overseas workers in case of illness or accident.

You will have a choice of insurance providers, as a number of these are contracted to the government scheme.

As an expat, you will only be eligible for the Foreign Worker Hospitalisation and Surgical Insurance Scheme. Malaysia currently does not have any reciprocal healthcare agreements with other nations.

Your employer should register you with the Foreign Worker Hospitalisation and Surgical Insurance Scheme. If you are self-employer or are not working while you live in Malaysia, you will not be covered at all by the state system and you will need to take out private insurance.

Under the FWHS you will be covered for a fixed amount of care in public sector hospitals. Treatment will be free at the point of delivery, and your coverage will entitle you to a third-class room for up to 30 days (or 15 days in an ICU), plus some inpatient medical consultations and care. You will also be entitled to treatment in public hospitals in the case of an emergency; this will be free at the point of delivery.

Maternity care will not be covered.

Note that expats have to pay higher medical fees than local residents. For instance, surgical charges can vary between MYR 30 ($7) for residents and MYR 1100 ($265) for expats. You will need to present your passport on admission for any medical treatment.

Retirees are not covered by state medical insurance. You will need to take out private cover.

Students will not be covered by state medical insurance. You will need to take out private cover and may be able to sign up for a policy specifically designed for international students. Consult with your educational provider to see if they recommend any specific private cover.

Your family will not be covered by state medical insurance and you will need to take out a private plan which includes any dependents.

Dental treatment will not be covered, with the exception of accidental injury to your teeth during the period in which you are insured.

Premiums vary between government-approved insurance providers, but in order to sign up for FWHS coverage, you will be looking at an average premium of around MYR 120 - 160 ($29 - $38) per annum.

To receive healthcare in Mexico you have no options other than the most basic cover with the FWHS; private cover with an international provider; or paying out-of-pocket expenses.

If you opt for the latter, medical treatment in Malaysia is very competitively priced in global terms, although you will pay more as a non-Malaysian.

Private insurance will cover a full range of both primary and secondary care, along with any elective treatments such as cosmetic surgery.

This will depend on factors such as your age and any pre-existing conditions, and the kind of package you opt for; a more expensive insurance package will give you more a extensive range of treatment and facilities. As so many variables have an effect on the cost of international private medical insurance in China, it becomes very difficult to give accurate estimates without knowing the full details of the coverage required. However, as a very rough guide, using a standard profile of a 40-year-old British male with no deductibles, no co-insurance, a middle-tier plan, all modules included and worldwide coverage excluding the US, a ballpark price of around £4,000/$5,000 might be expected. Were coverage to be expanded to include the US then the premium could increase to almost double that amount.

Many of the large international health providers cover Malaysia, including:

• AIA
• Allianz
• Cigna Global
• Foyer Global
• Great Eastern
• Pacific Prime

Foreign Worker Hospitalisation and Surgical Insurance Scheme (FWHS or SKHPPA) - health insurance scheme for expat employees