DIFFERENT VACCINATION SUBSIDY FRAMEWORKS AT POLYCLINICS AND CHAS CLINICS

We thank Ms Lin Liqing for her letter (“Polyclinics charge more for shingles vaccine”, 16 Oct 2025).

National University Polyclinics has confirmed with Ms Lin that she had paid $75 for one dose of the vaccination, and not $150.

Some treatments at the polyclinics, including vaccinations, are means-tested, with more subsidies provided for individuals with lower Per Capita Household Income (PCHI) or Annual Value (AV) of property. Therefore, Pioneer Generation (PG) seniors with lower PCHI or AV will pay $37.50 per dose of the shingles vaccination, and those with higher PCHI or AV will pay $75 per dose. 

At Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) general practitioner (GP) clinics, the subsidy framework is kept simple and all PG seniors enjoy the same dollar subsidy. 

This is why there are differences in the post-subsidy vaccination prices between polyclinics and CHAS GP clinics.

We thank Ms Lin for her feedback and will consider how we can improve our vaccination subsidy policy in a future review.

Lee Yi Min
Director, Subsidy and Subvention
Ministry of Health

综合诊疗所与CHAS诊所有不同疫苗津贴框架

谨答复《联合早报·交流站》于10月16日刊登的林丽卿读者投函《综合诊疗所带状疱疹疫苗更贵》：

我们感谢林女士的投函。

国立大学综合诊疗所已向林女士确认，她支付的是每剂75元的疫苗费用，而非150元。

综合诊疗所的部分治疗项目，包括疫苗接种，须经过经济状况评估（means-tested），家庭人均收入或房屋年值较低的个人可获得更高津贴。因此，家庭人均收入或房屋年值较低的建国一代乐龄者，每剂带状疱疹疫苗费用为37.50元；家庭人均收入或房屋年值较高者，则须支付每剂75元。

在社保援助计划（CHAS）全科诊所，津贴框架则更为简化，所有建国一代乐龄者均可享有相同的固定津贴。

这就是为何综合诊疗所与CHAS诊所之间，疫苗经津贴后的价格存在差异的原因。

我们感谢林女士的反馈，并会在未来的检讨中，考虑如何进一步完善疫苗津贴政策。

卫生部
保健财务团
补贴及资助政策司长
李毅民