Azzjoni Nazzjonali has proposed that everyone should be covered by an adequate health insurance policy from NI contributions.
AN would set up a national health insurance fund, managed by the government and private entities, or by the private sector alone, party leader Josie Muscat said.
"Every patient treated outside the national health service is money saved for the government and the tax payer, while improving the viability of private hospitals," the man who set up the Saint James Hospital Group said.
Elaborating on the technical details, he said higher income earners would be required to buy their own private health insurance policy, the cost of which would be deducted from their tax expenses.
Those having the basic health insurance provided by the government would be able to top it up by contributing a minimal amount of money every year. They would have the choice to go to a state, or an approved private hospital, but the latter would only be able to claim the cost agreed on for every medical service and intervention, even if its fees were higher.
Sustaining Mater Dei Hospital was going to be a major challenge for anyone, Dr Muscat insisted.
AN was also proposing the setting up of an independent health authority that governed all hospital and clinic standards.
"It does not make sense that the government uses particular criteria to audit and licence private hospitals and others for its own hospitals," Dr Muscat said. The new body would grade hospitals as hotels.
Health centres did not make sense to Dr Muscat, who suggested the setting up of organised groups of doctors in every district.
GPs should form the solid foundations of a health system that was structured like a pyramid.
But governments have only given importance to specialists at the expense of the GPs, Dr Muscat maintained.
Reducing the workload at Mater Dei required strengthening the GPs in the community, offering them incentives to study overseas to keep updated and allowing them to carry out tests and minor operations, Dr Muscat said.
In its quest for a quality and sustainable healthcare system, AN aimed to reduce waiting lists, which would be achieved by easing the burden on Mater Dei through the national health insurance scheme.
Dr Muscat called for accountable and cost-efficient purchasing and stock systems and for public-private cooperation.
It was "ridiculous" that the government and private hospitals fought each other when their collaboration would mean less human and financial resources and the duplication of equipment, he said.