<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Sep 2, 2009
HEALTH INSURANCE
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Multiple tiers of protection for all
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->MS SALMA Khalik ('Let's plug beyond-85 health insurance gap', Aug 26) and Mr Jeffrey Law ('Health insurance', last Saturday) reminded us not to 'write off super elderly Singaporeans by depriving them of coverage'.
In Singapore, nobody is written off, as health-care coverage here is universal, regardless of age or income.
In some countries where medical insurance is the main source of financing, to be uninsured is to lose medical coverage. We have evolved a very different approach based on a mixed financing system, with multiple tiers of protection, so that nobody is denied access to basic health care.
The first and the largest tier of protection is provided by heavy government subsidies in Class B2 and C wards, which all Singaporeans can access. Two in three acute hospital beds are subsidised by the Government.
The second tier of protection is provided by Medisave, a compulsory medical savings account scheme that allows practically all Singaporeans to pay for their share of medical treatment without financial difficulty. Collectively, Singaporeans now have more than $42 billion in their Medisave accounts.
The third level of protection is provided by MediShield and ElderShield, which enable policyholders to risk-pool the financial risk of them suffering a major illness or a severe disability. Many middle-income Singaporeans have also supplemented their basic coverage with private insurance policies for treatment in the private sector.
Finally, Medifund provides the ultimate safety net for any Singaporean who needs greater financial protection because of his special circumstance.
On insurance coverage, we agree with the value of bringing as many into the insurance risk pool as is practicable. ElderShield offers lifetime coverage, and this means that members can claim at any age in the event of a severe disability. As for MediShield, we have been progressively raising the maximum coverage age, the last being in 2006 to 85 years old.
As more Singaporeans live longer and as we gather more actuarial data, we will continue to raise the coverage age. Meanwhile, those who are above 85 remain protected by heavy government subsidies, Medisave and Medifund.
=> How many above 85 has Medisave and Medifund? Lie also donch know how to lie!
Our national health-care financing framework is not perfect and we will continue to refine it so that it remains relevant to meet the changing demands. Overall, it has enabled Singaporeans to enjoy a high standard of health-care services without inflicting a heavy financial and tax burden on patients and their families or employers.
Karen Tan (Ms)
Director, Corporate Communications
Ministry of Health
HEALTH INSURANCE
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Multiple tiers of protection for all
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->MS SALMA Khalik ('Let's plug beyond-85 health insurance gap', Aug 26) and Mr Jeffrey Law ('Health insurance', last Saturday) reminded us not to 'write off super elderly Singaporeans by depriving them of coverage'.
In Singapore, nobody is written off, as health-care coverage here is universal, regardless of age or income.
In some countries where medical insurance is the main source of financing, to be uninsured is to lose medical coverage. We have evolved a very different approach based on a mixed financing system, with multiple tiers of protection, so that nobody is denied access to basic health care.
The first and the largest tier of protection is provided by heavy government subsidies in Class B2 and C wards, which all Singaporeans can access. Two in three acute hospital beds are subsidised by the Government.
The second tier of protection is provided by Medisave, a compulsory medical savings account scheme that allows practically all Singaporeans to pay for their share of medical treatment without financial difficulty. Collectively, Singaporeans now have more than $42 billion in their Medisave accounts.
The third level of protection is provided by MediShield and ElderShield, which enable policyholders to risk-pool the financial risk of them suffering a major illness or a severe disability. Many middle-income Singaporeans have also supplemented their basic coverage with private insurance policies for treatment in the private sector.
Finally, Medifund provides the ultimate safety net for any Singaporean who needs greater financial protection because of his special circumstance.
On insurance coverage, we agree with the value of bringing as many into the insurance risk pool as is practicable. ElderShield offers lifetime coverage, and this means that members can claim at any age in the event of a severe disability. As for MediShield, we have been progressively raising the maximum coverage age, the last being in 2006 to 85 years old.
As more Singaporeans live longer and as we gather more actuarial data, we will continue to raise the coverage age. Meanwhile, those who are above 85 remain protected by heavy government subsidies, Medisave and Medifund.
=> How many above 85 has Medisave and Medifund? Lie also donch know how to lie!
Our national health-care financing framework is not perfect and we will continue to refine it so that it remains relevant to meet the changing demands. Overall, it has enabled Singaporeans to enjoy a high standard of health-care services without inflicting a heavy financial and tax burden on patients and their families or employers.
Karen Tan (Ms)
Director, Corporate Communications
Ministry of Health
