Extending The Use Of Medisave

28 Sep 2002

With effect from 1 Oct 02, the Ministry of Health will extend the use of Medisave to additional outpatient treatments. These treatments are currently being delivered in the inpatient setting but could be safely provided on an outpatient basis. The extension of Medisave to such treatments will encourage patients and providers to seek or provide these treatments at outpatient settings and help save costs for them. The extension is expected to benefit more than 1,500 Singaporeans. It will also help reduce hospital usage by about 23,000 hospital bed days in a year.

The Ministry will also allow Singaporeans to use their Medisave to pay for their children's outpatient renal dialysis treatments and anti-retroviral drugs for AIDS/HIV treatments. This will also take effect from 1 Oct 02.

Extension of Medisave to Additional Outpatient Treatments

With rapid advances in medical technology, some medical treatments traditionally performed in the inpatient setting, can now be done in an outpatient setting, at lower cost. However, there is little incentive for patients and providers to seek or provide treatments at the outpatient setting as Medisave cannot be used. As announced by the Minister for Health during this year's Budget Debate, the Ministry of Health has decided to extend the use of Medisave to several additional outpatient treatments, which are in lieu of inpatient treatments. This will reduce the need for inpatient hospitalisation and help save costs.

The use of Medisave will be extended to the following outpatient treatments with effect from 1 Oct 2002:

(a) Selected Analgesic medications, Neuro-endocrine drugs and Nuclear Medicine Treatment: The use of Medisave for Chemotherapy will be extended to cover a selected number of expensive analgesic (pain relief) medications for cancer patients, neuro-endocrine treatments for rare brain and hormone tumours, and nuclear medicine (radioactive chemical) treatments for patients with specific types of cancers or tumours. The current withdrawal limit remains unchanged at $300 for a 7-day treatment cycle and $1,200 for a 21/ 28 day treatment cycle.

(b) Specific Drugs used to treat opportunistic infections in HIV/HIVS patient: The use of Medisave for anti-retroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS patients will be extended to cover specific drugs for severe infections, which HIV/AIDs patients are vulnerable to due to their weakened resistance. The current withdrawal limit for anti-retroviral drugs remains unchanged at $550 per month, on a per patient basis.

(c) Outpatient Intravenous Antibiotic Treatment: There are a number of conditions where patients require prolonged intravenous antibiotic treatment even though they are otherwise well enough to be discharged from hospital. In such situations, Medisave usage will be extended to cover outpatient intravenous antibiotic treatment, so that the patient can be discharged from hospital and receive his antibiotic treatment on an outpatient basis. The withdrawal limit will be $600 per weekly cycle, subject to an annual limit of $2,400.

(d) Long Term Oxygen Treatment Therapy (LTOT) and Infant Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy (CPAP): Similarly, there are patients who would have a reduced need for hospitalisation if they could receive oxygen or pressurised air therapy at home. The use of Medisave will be extended to cover the rental of devices that provide concentrated oxygen for patients with severe lung disease and also pressurised air or oxygen for infants with serious breathing disorders. The withdrawal limit will be $75 per month.

(e) Immuno-Suppressants: The use of Medisave will be extended to cover Cyclosporin and Tacrolimus, drugs that are used to prevent rejection of an organ following transplant, by suppressing the immune system. The withdrawal limit will be $300 per month.

Use of Parental Medisave

With effect from 1 Oct 02, the Ministry of Health will also allow Singaporeans to use their Medisave to pay for their children's (aged 18 and below) renal dialysis for kidney failure, and anti-retroviral drugs for the medical treatment of HIV/AIDS. The existing monthly withdrawal limits for outpatient renal dialysis of $450 per patient and outpatient anti-retroviral drugs for medical treatment of HIV/AIDS of $550 per patient will apply to these children.

Medisave for Hepatitis B vaccination

Medisave withdrawal limits for Hepatitis B vaccination vary with age, as older people require a larger dosage of the Hepatitis B vaccine to gain immunity. Following a review of the National Immunisation Programme for Hepatitis B, the dosages for the different age groups have been modified. The Medisave withdrawal limits for Hepatitis B vaccination and booster will be revised to reflect this change. This will take effect from 1 October 2002.

Conclusion

The changes to Medisave are part of the Ministry's regular reviews to ensure that the Medisave scheme continues to keep pace with changing medical technology. The Ministry will continue to review Medisave and make further adjustments when necessary. Please see Annex A for a summary of the changes.