02/09/2026
Is having a medical card enough when facing a critical illness?
Being young does not mean critical illness cannot happen.
Being older does not necessarily mean there are no longer any treatment options.
Many people prioritise having a medical card but do not give the same attention to critical illness protection.
However, the financial impact of a critical illness extends beyond the hospital bill. It may also involve interrupted income and continuing family responsibilities throughout treatment and recovery.
In preparation for a hospital booth currently being planned, I had the opportunity to visit Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City—the flagship hospital of Sunway Healthcare Group and Malaysia’s largest private quaternary medical centre.
I met with Jonathan Wong, Business Development Manager, and Elean Woo, Assistant Manager of the Cancer Department, to better understand the hospital’s investment in specialised cancer diagnostic and treatment technologies.
From advanced imaging and radiotherapy to radiosurgery and nuclear medicine, different technologies serve different diagnostic and treatment purposes depending on the cancer type, location and stage, as well as the patient’s overall condition.
Nuclear medicine is used not only for diagnostic imaging but also for targeted radionuclide therapy in certain medical conditions, offering suitable patients additional treatment options.
This visit led me to reconsider three common assumptions about protection.
1. “I already have a medical card, so that should be enough.”
A medical card is certainly important, but its primary purpose is to cover eligible hospital and medical expenses according to the policy terms.
If treatment and recovery prevent someone from working for several months, a medical card does not replace the lost income. Neither does it take over the patient’s mortgage, household expenses, children’s education costs or other family responsibilities.
2. “I’m still young. A critical illness will not happen to me so soon.”
Based on Jonathan and Elean’s observations and experience in cancer care, some critical illnesses and cancer cases are increasingly being seen among younger people.
Lifestyle-related risk factors—such as prolonged physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary habits, smoking, alcohol consumption and obesity—may increase the risk of certain critical illnesses and cancers.
Of course, illness may also involve genetic, environmental, infectious and other individual health factors. It cannot be attributed to one cause alone.
Being young and currently healthy may reduce certain risks, but it does not eliminate them.
If illness occurs while someone is building a career, paying for a home, starting a family or raising children, the long-term impact of interrupted income may extend far beyond the medical bill.
3. “I’m already older. My body may not be able to tolerate the treatment.”
As medical technology advances, some treatments are becoming more precise and less invasive. They may reduce damage to surrounding healthy tissue and minimise discomfort during treatment.
This does not mean that every treatment is painless or free from side effects. It also does not mean that every older patient is suitable for the same treatment. The appropriate treatment must still be assessed by the medical team based on the patient’s overall health, cancer type and disease stage.
Nevertheless, age alone does not necessarily mean that all treatment options are no longer available.
As medical advancement creates more treatment possibilities for patients of different ages, have we also prepared sufficient financial resources to support the entire treatment and recovery journey?
When the medical condition meets the policy definition and claim requirements, critical illness protection provides a lump-sum cash payment that may be used according to the patient’s needs, including:
• Replacing reduced or interrupted income
• Continuing household expenses and loan repayments
• Paying for caregiving, rehabilitation and related costs
• Allowing the patient to take time away from work to focus on treatment and recovery
A medical card mainly helps manage eligible medical bills.
Critical illness protection helps patients and their families maintain their lives throughout treatment and recovery.
After arranging a medical card, it is also worth asking:
If a critical illness interrupts my income, how long can my existing cash protection support me and my family?
Thank you, Jonathan Wong and Elean Woo, for the insightful sharing and warm hospitality. I also look forward to meeting more people at the hospital booth once the arrangements are confirmed.
