MediSave Withdrawal Limit

2 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Health (a) in the past three years, how many requests for MediSave withdrawals above the capped limit have been received; (b) of these, how many have been approved; and (c) whether the Ministry will review the cap on use of MediSave in line with the rise in medical cost.

The Minister of State for Health (Mr Chee Hong Tat) (for the Minister for Health): Mdm Speaker, from 2014 to 2016, the Ministry of Health (MOH) received an average of about 200 appeals each year for usage of MediSave beyond the withdrawal limits. These appeals are considered on a case-by-case basis and about half of them were approved. Factors taken into consideration in reviewing these appeals include whether there are special circumstances, such as more complex treatment than expected due to unforeseen complications, or the family facing difficulties due to exceptional circumstances like unemployment or retrenchment.

MediSave withdrawal limits are set to be sufficient for the vast majority of subsidised healthcare expenses, after Government subsidies and MediShield Life payouts are taken into account. In recent years, we have enhanced our subsidies for drugs and outpatient care, as well as introduced new MediSave coverage for outpatient scans, and flexible MediSave use for those aged 65 and above. The introduction of MediShield Life in November 2015 also provided additional support for large hospital bills for all Singaporeans. From January to June 2016, MediShield Life and MediSave together were able to cover more than 90% of the post-subsidy bill for inpatient hospitalisation and day surgeries.

Beyond Government subsidies, MediShield Life and MediSave, low-income Singaporeans who require further financial assistance can approach medical social workers at our public healthcare institutions to apply for MediFund.

Madam, MOH will monitor the affordability of subsidised care and regularly review the MediSave withdrawal limits. We will also continue to consider appeals for usage of MediSave above the withdrawal limits.

Mdm Speaker: Er Dr Lee Bee Wah.

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Mdm Speaker, I have two supplementary questions. I have a resident who is 77 years old. He has $100,000 in his MediSave. He has used up the $600 which is the cap for computed tomography (CT) scan for the abdomen, pelvis and bone. Now, he needs $1,000 for prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Apparently, his request was rejected. I would like to ask the Minister of State, in this case, how best can we help him or what is the Minister of State's advice.

The second question is that for those who are aged 65, can we revise the cap, especially for those who have a bigger sum in their MediSave?

Mr Chee Hong Tat: Madam, I thank Er Dr Lee Bee Wah for her supplementary questions. The best way to deal with such cases would be for the Member to write in to MOH and we will take a look on a case-by-case basis at the circumstances of the situation that her resident is facing.

As for the Member's second point with regard to the limit for those who are aged above 65, I think that was why we introduced Flexi-MediSave. It is because we recognised that when people age and if they have sufficient balances in their MediSave, this is something which we want to help them with, to defray their out-of-pocket expenses. This limit is something which we can review from time to time to ensure the affordability of our healthcare services for Singaporeans.