Bulk of clinics are in CHAS scheme

MOH's Reply

The Straits Times, 10 Mar 2017

Bulk of clinics are in CHAS scheme

We thank Mr Dun Fashe (Make all private clinics accept PG and CHAS cards; March 4) and Dr Yik Keng Yeong (CHAS, PG schemes must remain voluntary for GPs; March 8) for their letters.

The Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) was introduced in 2012. While participation is voluntary, we have seen a significant increase in the number of participating General Practitioner (GP) and dental clinics.

Today, there are 1,650 CHAS clinics and a good geographical spread among them.

More than 97 per cent of CHAS or Pioneer Generation card holders have more than one CHAS clinic within 1km of their homes, or about 15 minutes by public transport.

Some patients, especially seniors, might still face difficulty in making their way to a CHAS clinic nearest to their home.

The Agency for Integrated Care will continue to engage more clinics to join CHAS.

Clinics that come on board voluntarily are more likely to provide better service as willing partners of CHAS.

The public can search for nearby CHAS clinics on www.chas.sg or call the CHAS hotline at 1800-ASK-CHAS (1800-275-2427).

Lim Bee Khim (Ms)
Director
Corporate Communications
Ministry of Health

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Forum Letters

The Straits Times, 4 Mar 2017

Make all private clinics accept PG and Chas cards

Could the Health Ministry (MOH) consider making it compulsory for all private clinics to accept the Pioneer Generation (PG) and Community Health Assist Scheme (Chas) cards?

Many elderly people insist on visiting the clinic they are used to frequenting, in spite of having to pay a lot more. They do this either out of convenience or their inability to travel.

My mother is one good example. She paid $40 for cough medication at a nearby non-subsidised clinic.

The same medication costs $3.50 at a PG and Chas-subsidised clinic. But the cheaper clinic is farther away and too difficult for my ageing mother to get to on her own.

There are many other old folk in a similar situation.

With the bleak and uncertain economic climate, having subsidised medical care is truly appreciated.

I hope the MOH can persuade all clinics to participate in these schemes so that beneficiaries can truly maximise their benefits without having to face tremendous inconvenience.

Mr Dun Fashe

The Straits Times, 8 Mar 2017

Chas, PG schemes must remain voluntary for GPs

The Community Health Assist Scheme and Pioneer Generation scheme have resulted in a couple of positive developments.

General practitioners are seeing more patients returning to their fold, overburdened polyclinic doctors are eased of a burgeoning patient load, and patients no longer need be shunted redundantly from GP office to polyclinic for referral to tertiary healthcare institutions to seek care at subsidised rates.

Most importantly, patients are more compliant with their chronic disease medications, given their trust and confidence in their personal choice of doctor, who is now able to prescribe longer periods of medicines, as costs are contained by subsidies previously available only in the polyclinics.

Yet, the schemes must remain voluntary, strong advocacy and gentle persuasion for them notwithstanding (Make all private clinics accept PG and Chas cards by Mr Dun Fashe; March 4).

Private clinics are entirely autonomous, governed only by the strictest of professional and civil codes. They cannot be mandated to comply with ad hoc government programmes, well meaning and beneficial though they may be.

Doctors have their reasons not to come under the schemes. Perhaps they are winding down their practices, do not want the hassle of online checks and claims, or are not keen to have another set of strict guidelines imposed on them.

A disgruntled medical practitioner forced into the schemes against his will guarantees only a dissatisfied patient.

Yik Keng Yeong (Dr)