CHAS Utilisation

4 November 2014

Question No. 290

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar
MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC

Question:

To ask the Minister of Health (a) to date, how many Singaporeans have benefited from the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS); and (b) how much in dollar terms have been spent on CHAS.

Question No. 345

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Baey Yam Keng
MP for Tampines GRC

Question:

To ask the Minister for Health since the introduction of the Community Health Assist Scheme (a) what is the amount that has been disbursed to private doctors as subsidies for patients; (b) how does the Ministry prevent abuses by doctors who increase their fees artificially; and (c) what enforcement actions have been taken and what are the penalties meted out against errant doctors.

Answer

1. There are currently around 850,000 Singaporeans on the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) Blue and Orange tiers. Since 1 September 2014, members of the Pioneer Generation (PG) are also able to benefit from special CHAS subsidy. Taking this into account, around 1.1 million Singaporeans can now benefit from the scheme.

2. In 2013, the Government gave out $31 million in CHAS subsidies to 145,000 Singaporeans. In the first eight months of 2014, $42 million in CHAS subsidies have been given out, benefitting some 260,000 Singaporeans.

3. Prices charged differ depending on various factors, including the medical condition, treatment provided, medications prescribed, length of consult, as well as the operating costs of the clinics. The vast majority of our doctors do observe the Singapore Medical Council’s Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines, which state that doctors cannot abuse the doctor-patient relationship for personal gain. MOH also closely monitors CHAS claims submitted by clinics. Clinics have been and will continue to be called upon to account for any exceptional claims.

4. We encourage clinics to display their common charges such as consultation fees prominently, and to address any concerns that patients may have. This will make the charges more transparent to their patients. We also encourage patients to clarify with their doctors, if they have any queries on their treatment and charges.