Extension of Primary Care Partnership Scheme to Persons with Disabilities

27 Sep 2007

In March 2007, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced its plans to extend the Primary Care Partnership Scheme (PCPS) to persons with disabilities (PWDs) by the end of this year.  The PCPS will be extended to PWDs from 1 November 2007. Some 12,500 PWDs are estimated to qualify for the scheme.

Currently, PCPS provides needy elderly Singaporeans the convenience of seeking primary medical and dental care at participating private general practitioner (GP) and dental clinics near their homes at subsidised polyclinic rates.  Elderly Singapore citizens aged 65 and above, and with a per capita household income of $700 per month and below, are able to join the scheme. Last year the government pumped in about $1.5 million on PCPS, benefiting some 19,300 needy elderly under the scheme.

With the extension of PCPS to PWDs, Singapore citizens who are unable to perform at least one of the Activities of Daily Living [1] (ADLs) and have a per capita household income of $700 per month and below, will be able to join the scheme. With this, needy PWDs who have difficulty accessing subsidised primary care at the polyclinic can do so at clinics near their home.

PWDs who wish to apply for the scheme may approach any community club/centre (CCs) or Community Development Council (CDC), under the People’s Association (PA).  Those evaluated by PA to meet the income criterion, will then be referred an MOH-accredited disability assessor to assess their ability to perform the ADLs.  PA will issue a Community Medical Benefit Card to eligible PWDs.  PWDs can use this Card at any PCPS-participating clinic to enjoy subsidised care.

PWDs under the care of a Voluntary Welfare Organisation (VWO) under the purview of MOH or the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) can approach their respective VWO for assistance to apply for the PCPS scheme.

More information on PCPS can be found on MOH’s website at www.moh.gov.sg.

Background

The Primary Care Partnership Scheme (PCPS) was first introduced in Oct 2000 on a pilot basis. The scheme was subsequently extended islandwide and expanded to include dental services in Mar 2002. The scheme allows needy Singaporeans who may have difficulty traveling around the benefit of paying subsidised fees at primary medical and dental care at GP and dental clinics near their homes, instead of having to travel to a polyclinic.

  [1] The six ADLs are washing/bathing, feeding, toileting, transferring, dressing and mobility.