Reviewing Healthcare Services Support Schemes for Healthcare Inflation
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the frequency of subsidy reviews for healthcare schemes like the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) regarding inflation, as raised by Mr Leon Perera. Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong stated that the Ministry of Health regularly evaluates these schemes based on healthcare inflation and household incomes. Policy updates in 2019 included enhanced CHAS subsidy caps for chronic conditions and expanded eligibility for all Singaporeans regardless of income. Additionally, the Ministry periodically updates income criteria for means-testing, with the latest 2019 review benefiting over 365,000 residents through higher subsidies. These measures reflect a commitment to maintaining healthcare affordability and ensuring that no citizen is denied care due to financial inability.
Transcript
31 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Health how often are subsidy levels for healthcare services support schemes like the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) reviewed for healthcare inflation
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Ministry of Health (MOH) regularly reviews our healthcare services support schemes based on a variety of factors, including healthcare inflation as well as household incomes, to ensure that healthcare remains affordable and accessible for all Singaporeans.
For example, CHAS was recently enhanced in November 2019 to provide subsidies for chronic disease management to all Singaporeans regardless of income. Other enhancements included the increase in the annual subsidy cap for complex chronic conditions for CHAS Blue and Orange cardholders, from $500 to $520 and $300 to $320 per year respectively, as well as the extension of subsidies for common illnesses to CHAS Orange cardholders. Merdeka Generation seniors are also entitled to special subsidies for medical and dental care at CHAS clinics.
MOH periodically updates the income criteria used to determine subsidy levels, to account for income growth and changes in healthcare expenditure over the years. In the latest review conducted in 2019, more than 365,000 Singapore Residents had benefited from higher subsidies resulting from the revised monthly per capita household income criteria for our means-tested healthcare schemes.
Such reviews form part of MOH's continual efforts to maintain healthcare affordability for our citizens, particularly those from the lower income groups, to ensure that no Singaporean will be denied appropriate healthcare because of inability to pay.