Cautious approach in extending Medisave usage

27 Oct 2006, The Newpaper

Question

Name of the Person: Carol Tan

Cautious approach in extending Medisave usage

My neighbours, a low-income family with five kids, had to take their daughterfor a checkup after the girl was hit on the head by a shot put ball. The doctors at the hospital did a CT scan and three weeks later, the familywas billed $300 when the results were made known. The family was taken aback. They didn't know that they cannot use Medisaveto foot the bill. It was too expensive for them and they had to ask the girl's school for helpto raise some money. This incident came to mind because recently, I had to pay close to $200 fortests after my son experienced pain near his kidney. We had to go through a fewvisits and tests before doctors could ascertain if there was anything wrongwith him. Through that, I also learnt that I could not use my Medisave to pay forthese tests and consultations unless my son was admitted to the hospital on theday the tests are done. I think $200 to $300 for medical tests may still be a lot to pay for certainfamilies in Singapore. I think that if doctors need to run more tests to confirm a diagnosis, andthese need to be done during different visits to the hospital, we should beable to pay for these tests with Medisave when the tests finally confirm that apatient has to be admitted to the hospital. Can the CPF Board review its policy to help those who are needy?

Reply

Reply from MOH 

In "Without Medisave, $300 is a lot to pay" (TNP, 23 Oct), Ms Carol Tan asked that Medisave be extended to include medical investigations and diagnostic tests such as CT scan. Ms Tan did not provide details, but we think the $300 CT scan fee was at unsubsidised rate. For subsidised patients, their CT scan fees will be significantly reduced and affordable. Medisave does not currently cover CT scans because its contribution rate was based on inpatient needs. If Medisave were to also cover outpatient care, its current contribution rate will not be enough. Nevertheless, we are studying if it is possible to allow Mediave to cover some costly outpatient care. We have started it with diabetes and will extend it to other chronic diseases. Further extension will have to take into account the experience of such an extension. We are taking a cautious approach because we want to be sure that such an extension will not lead to premature depletion of Medisave, making inpatient care unaffordable when patients need it.