15th Oct 2020
Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song
MP for Aljunied GRC
Question No. 260
To ask the Minister for Health in view of the proposed increases in premiums and coverage of MediShield Life (MSHL), whether MediSave withdrawal limits for MSHL premium payments will be raised so that MediSave can be used to fully pay for premiums for MediShield Life Basic, Integrated Shield Plans for Class B2/C wards and the Standard Integrated Shield Plan (for public hospital Class B1 coverage), for all age groups.
Answer
MediShield Life premiums are fully payable by MediSave. There are no withdrawal limits. Family members can utilise their MediSave also to help pay the premiums for their loved ones.
The additional private insurance component of the Integrated Shield Plans (IP) is also payable by MediSave, up to the Additional Withdrawal Limits (AWLs) which range from $300 to $900 per year, with higher limits for older policyholders as their premiums are higher.
The AWLs strike a balance between helping Singaporeans pay for their IP premiums using MediSave and ensuring that they have enough MediSave for basic healthcare needs, especially after their retirement. As MediShield Life already provides universal and basic insurance coverage for all Singaporeans, policyholders will need to consider whether they need the additional IP insurance and the affordability of the IP premiums when choosing these plans.