Medisave contributions should also be enough for new premiums, he says
By Salma Khalik, The Straits Times, 5 Feb 2014
WHEN universal medical coverage kicks in next year, patients' share of big hospital bills will go down from what they now have to pay, promised Health Minister Gan Kim Yong.
WHEN universal medical coverage kicks in next year, patients' share of big hospital bills will go down from what they now have to pay, promised Health Minister Gan Kim Yong.
And although there will likely be higher premiums for the new MediShield Life programme, which will cover everyone for life from next year, working adults should not need to fork out any extra cash to pay for them.
This is because their annual Medisave contributions should be enough to pay the entire MediShield Life premiums, he added.
Accordingly, Medisave contributions will have to go up "at an opportune time", he said, on the sidelines of a World Cancer Day function at Jalan Besar Community Club yesterday, without elaborating further.
"We also want to make sure that there are sufficient savings in Medisave, not only to pay for premiums, but also for the co-payment component (of large medical bills) as well," he said.
Mr Gan made these pledges in his first comments on last month's interim report by the MediShield Life Review Committee. He said he agreed with the committee's focus on enhancing the payouts under MediShield Life so as to reduce the burden of co-payment of medical bills.
Co-payment must stay as a reminder of individual responsibility, Mr Gan emphasised, but given rising health-care costs, "there is a need to provide greater support and collective responsibility to help individuals cope".
Noting concerns about the affordability of premiums, he said the Government will develop a new "subsidy framework" to help lower and also middle-income individuals. The latter might need help if they have big families to take care of, he noted.
"This will be over and above the GST Voucher for Medisave, as well as the current Workfare top-ups," he said. Details are still being worked out, but he said it was important to share the Government's thinking on this.
Older people will get the "pioneer generation" package promised by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, which will "focus a lot on health-care costs and include help for MediShield Life premiums"."This will be over and above the GST Voucher for Medisave, as well as the current Workfare top-ups," he said. Details are still being worked out, but he said it was important to share the Government's thinking on this.
The extension of MediShield Life to cover everyone, including those over 100 years old or with pre-existing illnesses will require a "reasonable cost-sharing framework", Mr Gan added. The Government, he promised, will take on most of the cost. But an inclusive society means everyone needs to bear part of it.
Reacting to Mr Gan's comments, Dr Chia Shi-Lu, a member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Health, said: "It is only right that the Government steps in to help the vulnerable group with the requisite top-ups where needed." He added that having Medisave pay the premiums "is critical" to ensure minimal out-of-pocket payments.
Mr Gan also announced that until MediShield Life kicks in, policyholders reaching the cut-off age of 90 will continue to be insured, at the same $1,190 a year that 89-year-olds now pay.
Pioneers' health care 'covered for the rest of their lives'
Commitment will lift burden of care from younger generation too: Chan
By Charissa Yong And Tham Yuen-c, The Straits Times, 5 Feb 2014
Commitment will lift burden of care from younger generation too: Chan
By Charissa Yong And Tham Yuen-c, The Straits Times, 5 Feb 2014
THE upcoming pioneer generation package will help those who contributed to Singapore's early development cope with health-care costs for the rest of their lives, Minister for Social And Family Development Chan Chun Sing said yesterday.
Emphasising that it would not be a handout that would be given just for one year, he added: "It will have to last five, 10, 20 years, even more, so long as they're with us." This long-term and significant commitment on the part of the Government will help lift the burden of taking care of the pioneer generation from younger Singaporeans as well, the Tanjong Pagar GRC MP said.
He was addressing about 600 guests at the annual Chinese New Year dinner for his constituency and the single seat of Radin Mas.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will unveil details of the package on Sunday, and Mr Chan said yesterday that help with health-care costs will be the primary focus. This will give the pioneer generation and their families a "sense of assurance that their health care will be taken care of by society as a whole", he added.
The minister also touched on the importance of the community in helping the elderly to age gracefully with dignity.
The community can support the elderly's socio-emotional well-being to complement the tangible benefits the Government will be providing, he said.
Referring to the year Singapore gained independence, he also urged the young to learn from the 1965 generation's "fighting spirit" to make the country better.
"Many of them had much less than us today in terms of an educated workforce, resources and other material things," said Mr Chan.
"But despite the odds... they had the gumption to make this country work and to make it our home."
He also pledged that the Government would continue to act on its promise to do its best for Singapore and the people. "We want to deliver a better quality of life not only for this generation, but also to leave behind a better Singapore for future generations."
Mr Ng Roy Choong, 73, said the pioneer generation package would be very helpful for the elderly, as many among them had stopped working for years. The former taxi driver and Tanjong Pagar GRC resident, who retired a decade ago, said: "Any extra financial help will definitely come in handy for medical bills and such."
Mr Ng Roy Choong, 73, said the pioneer generation package would be very helpful for the elderly, as many among them had stopped working for years. The former taxi driver and Tanjong Pagar GRC resident, who retired a decade ago, said: "Any extra financial help will definitely come in handy for medical bills and such."
Yesterday's event at Buona Vista Community Centre was also attended by Tanjong Pagar GRC MPs Indranee Rajah, Lily Neo and Chia Shi-Lu, as well as Mr Sam Tan, the MP for Radin Mas.
But former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew skipped it for the second consecutive year as he was in hospital.
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