Data on Appeals to CPF Board to Withdraw from MediSave beyond Annual Withdrawal Limit

70 Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar asked the Minister for Health (a) in each year over the past five years, how many Singaporeans have made appeals to CPF Board to withdraw more from their MediSave accounts that is beyond the annual withdrawal limit; (b) how many of these appeals are for rare illnesses or medical conditions; and (c) what is the range of additional withdrawal quantum appealed for.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: Each year, about 1.2 million Singaporeans make withdrawals from MediSave for various medical expenses. CPF Board receives between 500 to 600 appeals from Singaporeans each year to use their MediSave beyond withdrawal limits for inpatient and outpatient treatments.

The quantum of withdrawal appealed for varies, depending on various factors such as whether there are complications in treatment, or whether non-standard drugs and treatments are needed.

There were about four to five MediSave appeals over the last three years for rare diseases, which affect fewer than one in 2,000 patients.