Medishield Maximum Entry Age

14 November 2012

Question No. 838

Name of Person: Mr Gerald Giam

Question

To ask the Minister for Health given that the maximum entry age for MediShield coverage will be removed from 1 March 2013, how does the Ministry intend to encourage the 35% of elderly Singaporeans aged 76 to 85 who are not insured under MediShield to enrol in the scheme.

Answer

My Ministry recently announced the lifting of the maximum entry age for MediShield from 1 March 2013, along with other MediShield enhancements. This change was in response to feedback received during public consultation on the proposed MediShield changes.

We will encourage eligible, uninsured Singaporeans to apply for MediShield coverage through our regular public outreach events, such as the public talks run by the CPF Board. MOH will also be tapping on the Health Ambassadors’ network of the Health Promotion Board (HPB) and other grassroots organisations to spread the word within the community about the benefits of MediShield. We also encourage children to come forward to apply on their elderly parents’ behalf.

Beyond MediShield, the elderly can also receive help for their healthcare costs. All elderly Singaporeans will continue to enjoy government subsidies of up to 80% for subsidised healthcare treatment, regardless of their insured status. Under the GST Voucher scheme, the Government will also provide annual Medisave top-ups for the majority of elderly Singaporeans to help with medical expenses. Finally, those who still face difficulties can approach the medical
social workers at our public healthcare institutions for financial assistance, including through Medifund Silver, which is a targeted assistance scheme for the elderly. Since 2007, Medifund Silver provided about $61 mil to help elderly patients with their healthcare expenses.