Avenues for redress and dispute resolution

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2181
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 4 OCTOBER 2023 

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Dr Tan Wu Meng
MP for Jurong GRC

Question No. 4744 

To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether data is available since 2021 on how many cases have been raised to the authorities involving disputes on whether a hospital has provided inaccurate or outdated information at the material time on whether a patient qualifies for on-panel benefits when claiming for hospitalisation expenses under an Integrated Shield Plan; and (b) what avenues for redress and dispute resolution are available for affected individuals.

Answer

1       Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Health (MOH) does not track such data. However, we are aware of a few cases where medical providers have conveyed information that may have led patients into thinking that their medical bill would qualify for panel benefits or be fully covered by insurance.

2       Affected patients are encouraged to resolve their concerns directly with the medical provider first. Failing which, they may consider filing their dispute with the Clinical Claims Resolution Process (CCRP), which helps to resolve clinical matters pertaining to Integrated Shield Plan (IP) claims, or seek mediation with the healthcare institutions facilitated by MOH Holdings’ Healthcare Mediation Unit.