Preventive Health for all, with Healthier SG

We refer to Dr Shawn Lee Chieh Loong’s letter (“Change in funding models essential for Healthier SG’s success”, 5 March).

The writer may have conflated employer insurance with Healthier SG. 

Employer medical benefits provide coverage such as treatment of acute conditions, including those by General Practitioners (GPs).

Healthier SG on the other hand, focuses on preventive health and is provided for all eligible residents, regardless of employment. Residents choose a doctor, usually near their homes, to help them with vaccinations, health screening, and advice on staying healthy. Residents will not lose their enrolment with their Healthier SG clinic, even if they change employer, become self-employed or retire.

A resident may choose their company panel clinic as their Healthier SG clinic, if the clinic is participating in both. Employer panel clinics are free to join Healthier SG and be remunerated by the Ministry of Health (MOH) for providing this service, and many already do so today.

This is therefore not an issue of inconsistency between our funding model and the Healthier SG objective, but encouraging more employer panel doctors to become Healthier SG clinics to strengthen preventive health. MOH and the Ministry of Manpower will continue to work with employers and clinics to encourage more to come on board Healthier SG.

Delia Teo (Ms)

Director, Population Health Division

Ministry of Health