Financial Support Schemes for Working Care-givers of Cancer Patients

18 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Health what are the financial support schemes available to working care-givers of cancer patients in terms of higher MediSave withdrawal limits, subsidies or tax reliefs.

The Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Koh Poh Koon) (for the Minister for Health): Sir, the Government provides a range of financial support measures to help patients and their care-givers defray the cost of caring for cancer patients.

We have financial support schemes to help keep cancer treatment expenses more affordable for patients and their care-givers. This includes means-tested subsidies of up to 70% at public Specialist Outpatient Clinics and up to 75% for subsidised medications. Eligible Singaporeans can also receive means-tested subsidies of up to 80% for long-term care services such as centre-based rehabilitation for cancer patients.

Cancer patients can also tap on MediShield Life and MediSave to pay for both inpatient and outpatient cancer treatments. For patients who are diagnosed with terminal cancer and receiving end-of-life care, MediSave may be used to pay for home palliative care or day hospice care, and there is no withdrawal limit if the bill is paid using the patient’s own MediSave. In addition, patients with financial needs can apply for MediFund assistance, which helps to provide a safety net for those who are still unable to afford the bills.

To allow families to stretch their combined savings to cover healthcare expenses, care-givers can also use their MediSave to pay for medical expenses incurred by their approved dependants.

The Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) was introduced in October 2019 to provide a $200 monthly cash grant to eligible individuals, including cancer patients, with permanent moderate disability to defray the costs of long-term care-giving. It can be used flexibly for care-giving expenses, for example, to hire a foreign domestic worker, for the use of eldercare services, or for transport to medical appointments. Another grant – the Caregiver Training Grant – allows care-givers, including working care-givers, to attend approved courses to better care for their loved ones.

Beyond healthcare-specific financial measures, care-givers can also qualify for tax reliefs if they meet the conditions under dependant related relief schemes. Families who need further help with care-giving expenses can approach the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) or Medical Social Workers within healthcare institutions for assistance. We will continue to review and develop initiatives to strengthen support for care-givers.

Mr Speaker: Mr Zhulkarnain Rahim.

Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang): I thank the Senior Minister of State for the response and the comprehensive details on the grants and benefits available. I just wanted to explain the premise of my question. There was a 2016 survey in Singapore about general family care-givers, that showed that half of those care-givers were in the economically-active group; they are below 50 years old. And one in five of those care-givers had to give up their jobs to care for the aged relatives; and one in four reported a worsening of their financial position because of that.

These are the negative eventualities of embarking on this care-giving journey. I understand that there is no limit for withdrawal from the patients' own MediSave, but would the Ministry also look into increasing the withdrawal limits for care-givers or perhaps also removing any limits for those care-givers for CPF withdrawals for the purposes of assisting in paying for the relative's medical expenses?

Dr Koh Poh Koon: Sir, I thank the Member for his supplementary question. I think his starting point is that families want to be the first line of support and do their part to care more for the financial needs of those in the family who are suffering from cancer. I think that is quite admirable. But in trying to make sure there is a certain withdrawal limit for the use of the care-giver's MediSave funds to support the needs of a family member who is afflicted with cancer, we need to strike the balance between preserving enough MediSave funds for the care-giver as well, for his or her own longer term healthcare needs, while at the same time, trying to make sure that there is enough family support to care for the one who is suffering from cancer.

I think what is important is that if the needs go beyond the current withdrawal limits, the family can approach the Medical Social Worker who will take a look on a case-by-case basis and see how we can mobilise MediFund, which would then remove the need to touch the MediSave of the care-giver, but yet, let the rest of the taxpayers also do their part to support the needs of this person who is suffering from cancer and who may have extra financial requirements.