USE OF MEDISAVE FOR TREATMENT AT PRIVATE MENTAL HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS

NOTICE PAPER NO. 2139
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 19 SEPTEMBER 2023

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Yip Hon Weng
MP for Yio Chu Kang SMC

Question No. 4883

To ask the Minister for Health (a) how many private mental healthcare practitioners including psychiatrists accept Medisave payments and how accessible is the information; and (b) whether current Medisave limits are sufficient to cover annual treatment costs.

Answer

1      More than 270 private clinics are accredited to submit MediSave claims for mental health treatment under the Chronic Diseases Management Programme (CDMP). Singaporeans may refer to the Mind Matters Directory Listing on the Agency for Integrated Care’s website for some MediSave-accredited clinics offering mental health services. This listing is being progressively expanded to include more clinics that offer MediSave claimable mental health services. 

2      Depending on the complexity of their condition, individuals can use up to $500 or $700 from their MediSave annually for outpatient treatment of common mental health conditions under the CDMP, comprising schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorders and general anxiety disorders. The current MediSave withdrawal limits remain sufficient for most individuals. In 2021, more than eight in 10 individuals who made MediSave CDMP claims for mental health treatments did not exceed the annual limits. The MediSave withdrawal limits will be reviewed regularly to ensure they remain adequate.