Payment of Claims by Integrated Shield Plan Policyholders for Care at Healthcare Institutions

40 Dr Tan Wu Meng asked the Minister for Health for each year from 2019 to 2021 (a) how many Integrated Shield Plan (IP) policyholders have submitted claims for care at (i) public healthcare institutions and (ii) private healthcare facilities respectively; and (b) what proportion of such bills are respectively paid (i) initially by the policyholder with the IP insurer later providing reimbursement or (ii) by a Letter of Guarantee or pre-authorisation and so did not require upfront payment.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: From 2019 to 2020, there were on average around 330,000 Integrated Shield Plan (IP) inpatient and day surgery claim episodes at public healthcare institutions (PHIs) each year, and around 130,000 at private healthcare institutions. Data on the number of claim episodes involving upfront payment is not available.