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Parliamentary QA

ENSURING HEALTHCARE COSTS DO NOT RISE PROPORTIONALLY DESPITE EXPANSION OF MEDISHIELD LIFE COVERAGE

2 April 2024

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NOTICE PAPER NO. 2690

NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER

FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 2 APRIL 2024



Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament

Mr Yip Hon Weng

MP for Yio Chu Kang



Question No. 5904



To ask the Minister for Health (a) in view that MediShield Life coverage is set to expand, how will the Ministry ensure that healthcare costs do not rise proportionally; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider implementing audits in public hospitals to assess the prudency of recommended medical treatments, especially those requiring advanced technologies like robotic surgery.



Answer



1     MediShield Life coverage does not cause healthcare cost to rise proportionately. The logic is the reverse. That means healthcare cost is rising, largely as an external trend, and to protect Singaporeans against large and expected medical bills, we intend to expand the coverage of MediShield Life.



2     Nevertheless, MOH has implemented several measures to ensure overall healthcare costs remains sustainable. This includes greater emphasis on population health, implementing value-based care in healthcare institutions, and encouraging right siting of patients to reduce the demand for acute hospital care. Health Technology Assessment also ensures that subsidies and insurance coverage extend only to clinically- and cost-effective treatments.

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