Bill passed, making health insurance for all a reality
Govt to subsidise at least 90% of any premium increase in first year
By Rachel Chang, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 30 Jan 2015
Govt to subsidise at least 90% of any premium increase in first year
By Rachel Chang, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 30 Jan 2015
It is a historic moment that marks the coming together of all Singaporeans to "build a health-care safety net that leaves no one behind", Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said as he announced more government subsidies for the higher premiums needed to support the new scheme.
The Government will subsidise at least 90 per cent of any increase in premium in the first year and at least 70 per cent in the second year, up from the 80 per cent and 60 per cent proposed earlier.
This means those without pre-existing medical conditions will not pay more than $3 a month in higher premiums for the first two years of the scheme, which will replace MediShield.
But even after the five-year transition period, two out of three households will continue to get permanent premium subsidies from a $4 billion fund.
MediShield Life provides lifetime coverage for all Singaporeans and permanent residents, regardless of age or pre-existing health conditions.
It gives the authorities powers to access their medical and income records to calculate premiums and subsidies - although individuals can opt out.
It also lets the authorities recover unpaid premiums through payroll deduction or measures such as barring the defaulter from leaving the country.
Defaulters who wilfully refuse to pay face a fine of up to 17 per cent on outstanding premiums and interest on the amount owed.
Many of the 23 MPs who rose to speak during the five-hour debate yesterday were worried that overly harsh action would be taken against defaulters, noting that this group may include the very poor, the very old and those in sudden financial difficulty.
Mr Gan assured them that a flexible and compassionate approach to defaulters would be taken, promising: "No one, especially our pioneers, will lose their MediShield Life coverage due to the inability to pay their premiums."
Action would be taken only against wilful defaulters - those who can pay but will not, he said.
MPs also stressed the need to safeguard confidential medical and income information, and to keep the list of pre-existing medical conditions as short as possible.
Those with pre-existing conditions must pay an additional premium of 30 per cent over 10 years due to their required treatments.
But on the fundamentals of the Bill, no MP disagreed.
All welcomed what Ms Denise Phua (Moulmein-Kallang GRC) called "the manifestation of the spirit of belonging to a country".
The key issue now, noted MPs like Dr Chia Shi-Lu (Tanjong Pagar GRC), is the scheme's sustainability: Medical costs could spiral as patients demand more expensive treatments, or people slacken in taking care of their health.
Agreeing, Mr Gan said the Government can monitor medical claims only for excessiveness, and the rest of society must step up.
Ordinary Singaporeans should "encourage each other to make healthy choices", he said. "All of us - patients, health-care providers, insurers, family members - need to do our part."
MediShield Life to reflect 'fairness and compassion'
Higher premiums only for those with serious medical conditions: Minister
By Linette Lai, The Straits Times, 30 Jan 2015
Higher premiums only for those with serious medical conditions: Minister
By Linette Lai, The Straits Times, 30 Jan 2015
They will pay premiums that are 30 per cent higher, for 10 years.
Such conditions are those likely to be life-threatening or "have high risk of future complications or recurrence, and therefore may require prolonged treatment".
Mr Gan was speaking in Parliament during the debate of the MediShield Life Scheme Bill, which was passed at the end of the session.
In his opening speech, he said the Health Ministry is reviewing the list of serious pre-existing conditions with help from specialists. It will disclose information on the broad categories of these ailments later. Those who have to pay higher premiums will be informed before MediShield Life starts.
During the debate, several MPs sought clarification on who will have to pay higher premiums.
Ms Denise Phua (Moulmein-Kallang GRC) asked if those with intellectual disabilities or other developmental disorders would incur higher premiums.
"Many of them... may experience challenges in schools and at workplaces that relate to their ability to learn, socialise and be included," she said.
"But physically - health-wise - these persons may not be at risk of requiring more medical treatment or hospitalisation than the rest of the population."
In response, Minister of State for Health Lam Pin Min said that those who did not require prolonged hospitalisation or expensive outpatient treatments would not have to pay extra.
"In other words, the mere existence of autism, on its own, is not the basis for imposing additional premiums," he said.
Workers' Party MP Lee Li Lian (Punggol East) and Nominated MP Chia Yong Yong asked if the 30 per cent extra premium would vary witha person's condition.
For the sake of simplicity, said Dr Lam, there is only one rate, which will be applied to those with serious pre-existing conditions. He said such conditions could include stroke, cancer, kidney failure and heart disease.
He added that MediShield Life will be less stringent than private insurance in providing coverage for minor medical conditions.
"Less severe conditions such as pre-cancer, well-managed hypertension and diabetes with no complications will not be subject to additional premiums," he said.
In his reply to Dr Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade GRC), he said those with pre-existing HIV/Aids - treatment for which is not covered under MediShield - will receive coverage under MediShield Life but will pay a higher premium.
Dr Lam said people with medical conditions covered by MediShield will not pay anything extra.
Assurances, safeguards and premiums
The Straits Times, 30 Jan 2015
The Straits Times, 30 Jan 2015
MINISTER Gan Kim Yong plus Dr Amy Khor and Dr Lam Pin Min from the Health Ministry touched on these points in yesterday's debate:
Dr Khor on what people must do to ensure their MediShield Life premium subsidies are computed correctly:
Update your NRIC address at police posts or the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, with relevant supporting documents. If there are tenants in your HDB flat, please update your tenant records with HDB.
In a few months, look out for a letter from the Health Ministry asking for your household information to be confirmed. This can be done online, via a hotline or at specified community touch points like CitizenConnect centres in community clubs.
Dr Khor on Integrated Shield Plans:
MediShield as it is today forms the foundation of all Integrated Shield Plans (IPs), and the IPs ride on this foundation to provide additional coverage targeting the Class B1/A wards or private hospitals.
When MediShield Life is launched, it will become the new foundation.
To use everyday language, MediShield Life is like plain Milo, which is tasty enough for most people. IPs are like Milo Dinosaur or Milo Godzilla, which tastes even richer than Milo, but will definitely cost more.
Mr Gan on data privacy:
Eligibility checks for MediShield Life premium subsidies will only extend to existing income records in government databases.
Dr Khor on what people must do to ensure their MediShield Life premium subsidies are computed correctly:
Update your NRIC address at police posts or the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, with relevant supporting documents. If there are tenants in your HDB flat, please update your tenant records with HDB.
In a few months, look out for a letter from the Health Ministry asking for your household information to be confirmed. This can be done online, via a hotline or at specified community touch points like CitizenConnect centres in community clubs.
Dr Khor on Integrated Shield Plans:
MediShield as it is today forms the foundation of all Integrated Shield Plans (IPs), and the IPs ride on this foundation to provide additional coverage targeting the Class B1/A wards or private hospitals.
When MediShield Life is launched, it will become the new foundation.
To use everyday language, MediShield Life is like plain Milo, which is tasty enough for most people. IPs are like Milo Dinosaur or Milo Godzilla, which tastes even richer than Milo, but will definitely cost more.
Mr Gan on data privacy:
Eligibility checks for MediShield Life premium subsidies will only extend to existing income records in government databases.
These will not extend to private or commercial records, including any bank or credit card records.
Mr Gan on data access:
Only authorised persons can access, use or disclose medical and financial information for the specified purposes. They will be required to sign appropriate undertakings.
Mr Gan on data access:
Only authorised persons can access, use or disclose medical and financial information for the specified purposes. They will be required to sign appropriate undertakings.
The minister in charge of the agency that controls the requested information must approve its disclosure, and can impose terms and conditions.
Dr Lam citing an example on who pays higher premiums:
The mere existence of autism on its own is not the basis for imposing additional premiums. However, if the person with autism also has a serious medical condition requiring prolonged hospitalisation or dialysis treatment, then additional premiums apply.
Dr Lam citing an example on who pays higher premiums:
The mere existence of autism on its own is not the basis for imposing additional premiums. However, if the person with autism also has a serious medical condition requiring prolonged hospitalisation or dialysis treatment, then additional premiums apply.
MPs: Get tough on defaulters, be kind in genuine cases
By Kash Cheong, The Straits Times, 30 Jan 2015
By Kash Cheong, The Straits Times, 30 Jan 2015
MEMBERS of Parliament supported tough penalties to recover outstanding premiums from wilful defaulters of the MediShield Life scheme but urged the Government to be compassionate to those who genuinely could not pay.
The issue of penalties and additional help for the needy was raised during the second reading of the MediShield Life Bill yesterday.
The newly passed Bill gives the Government legal powers to impose penalties on wilful defaulters - a small group who refuse to pay despite having the means to do so.
These measures, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong, are "to ensure that the debts of these freeloaders will not be unfairly shouldered by those who have paid their share responsibly".
While agreeing such a mechanism for wilful defaulters was necessary, Ms Tin Pei Ling (Marine Parade GRC) said: "I am also cognisant of the need to avoid penalties on Singaporeans who just need a little more time."
Ms Denise Phua (Moulmein-Kallang GRC) made a similar point.
She asked for assurance that those who cannot pay for good reason will be treated with "not only justice but mercy".
There are those whose Medisave could have been depleted by big hospitalisation bills or because they were unemployed due to disabilities, she said.
Echoing the sentiment was Mr Ang Wei Neng (Jurong GRC) who said: "Penalties should be the last resort."
Mr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) noted that it was not clear how much time a defaulter had to remedy the situation before penalties kicked in.
This is in contrast to the Income Tax Act, which states that payment may be enforced one month from the time the demand note is served, he said.
Responding to these concerns, Mr Gan said that penalties will be imposed with discretion.
Defaulters will be sent multiple reminders, with offers of government assistance, for an extended period of time before penalties kick in.
The MediShield Life Council will also provide direction on the broad approach towards premium recovery, he said.
"Those who are needy will receive help," Mr Gan reiterated.
They may also tap on the Medisave accounts of immediate family members such as spouses, parents or children, to pay for premiums. In addition, the Government will reach out to those who have insufficient Medisave balances and insufficient family support and assess if they need additional premium support.
"No one, especially our pioneers, will lose their MediShield Life coverage due to the inability to pay for their premiums," Mr Gan said.
Pensioners assured they will not lose current medical benefits
By Linette Lai, The Straits Times, 30 Jan 2015
By Linette Lai, The Straits Times, 30 Jan 2015
GOVERNMENT pensioners need not fear that MediShield Life offers them fewer benefits than their current medical coverage schemes, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said yesterday.
Following a call in Parliament by Workers' Party MP Png Eng Huat (Hougang) for pensioners to be exempted from the new universal health-care scheme, Mr Teo dismissed the need for that.
He assured pensioners that after they move to MediShield Life, they will continue to receive all the benefits they currently enjoy.
The Government will also pay for their MediShield Life premiums, said Mr Teo, who is also Home Affairs Minister and Minister in charge of the civil service.
Most importantly, even after the pensioners die, their spouses will continue to be covered by the health-care scheme - a perk they would not have had under their old medical benefits schemes.
In his speech, Mr Png had referred to a news report stating that some pensioners now receive medical benefits superior to those offered by MediShield Life.
"How would MediShield Life be better for these pensioners when the Public Service Division has acknowledged that it is not?" Mr Png asked. "And why would the Government want to go to great lengths to match the benefits of Medishield Life with what the pensioners are currently receiving when a simple solution is to let them remain status quo?"
Mr Teo replied that the issue had already been addressed in Parliament previously, and that pensioners have been told of the benefits they will receive. He asked Mr Png to reassure pensioners instead of causing anxiety by "raising issues which are not true".
Mr Png countered that the elements of the government pension plan highlighted in his speech were based in fact."I just want to seek clarification - if pensioners were to go on MediShield Life, are they going to be expecting the same kind of (benefits)?"
Mr Teo replied that the answer as: "Yes, unequivocally yes."
He added: "I hope that the member, instead of raising red herrings, will help to reassure pensioners of this."
Related
Second Reading Speech by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Health, on the MediShield Life Scheme Bill, on 29 January 2015
Speech by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Health, on the MediShield Life Scheme Bill, on 29 January 2015
Speech by Dr Lam Pin Min, Minister of State for Health, on the MediShield Life Scheme Bill, on 29 January 2015
Closing Speech by Health Minister Mr Gan Kim Yong on the MediShield Life Scheme Bill on 29 Jan 2015
Transitional Subsidies for MediShield Life Premiums to Increase in First Two Years of MediShield Life
Factsheet on the MediShield Life Scheme Bill
Refuse to pay MediShield Life premiums? You could be jailed
MediShield Life Q&A
Comparing MediShield and MediShield Life Benefits
MediShield Life FAQs
MediShield Life
Second Reading Speech by Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Health, on the MediShield Life Scheme Bill, on 29 January 2015
Speech by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Health, on the MediShield Life Scheme Bill, on 29 January 2015
Speech by Dr Lam Pin Min, Minister of State for Health, on the MediShield Life Scheme Bill, on 29 January 2015
Closing Speech by Health Minister Mr Gan Kim Yong on the MediShield Life Scheme Bill on 29 Jan 2015
Transitional Subsidies for MediShield Life Premiums to Increase in First Two Years of MediShield Life
Factsheet on the MediShield Life Scheme Bill
Refuse to pay MediShield Life premiums? You could be jailed
MediShield Life Q&A
Comparing MediShield and MediShield Life Benefits
MediShield Life FAQs
MediShield Life