5th Jul 2021
Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Sharael Taha
MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC
Question No. 824
To ask the Minister for Health (a) how is the maximum MediSave700 withdrawal amount of $700 per annum determined for the 20 conditions under the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP); (b) whether the maximum withdrawal amount will be reviewed for chronic conditions that may cost a patient more than $700 yearly; and (c) whether the Ministry can consider allowing family members and spouses to withdraw more than $700 in total to pay for the patient’s complex chronic outpatient treatment.
Written Answer
Under the MediSave500/700 scheme, the $500 and $700 MediSave withdrawal limits are sized to be sufficient for the annual bills of the majority of subsidised patients with simple and complex chronic conditions under the Chronic Disease Management Programme respectively. Seniors aged 60 years old and above can withdraw up to an additional $300 yearly under Flexi-MediSave to offset their bills in the outpatient setting, including for the treatment of their chronic conditions. The withdrawal limits were recently revised for MediSave500/700 on 1 Jan 2021, and Flexi-MediSave on 1 Jun 2021.
MediSave use beyond the withdrawal limits are considered on appeal, but are reserved for very exceptional grounds such as unique circumstances with the family’s financial and/or social situation. Patients who face difficulties with their bills after subsidies and MediSave may approach the medical social workers at public healthcare institutions for assistance.