Revision of MediSave Limit to Allow Cancer Patients to Pay for Non-subsidised Drugs

16 Ms Ng Ling Ling asked the Minister for Health for advanced stage-4 or terminal cancer patients who will not be able to complete their treatments with non-Cancer Drug List (CDL) drugs by 30 September 2023, whether the Ministry will consider enabling them to tap on a higher MediSave amount to alleviate their financial worries.

The Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Janil Puthucheary) (for the Minister for Health): Sir, patients who are using cancer drugs that are not on the Cancer Drug List (CDL) may appeal to the Ministry of Health (MOH) to use more MediSave for their treatment.

Subsidised patients being treated in public health care institutions can also approach the medical social workers to apply for financial assistance if they are unable to afford their healthcare bills.

Under the CPF Reduced Life Expectancy scheme, terminally ill patients may also withdraw their CPF savings including MediSave savings in a lump sum, subject to retaining a minimum balance of $5,000.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Mr Pritam Singh.

Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am just following up on the matter of appeals with regard to this subject. I have a resident who is in a similar predicament and I can imagine there are others. Does the Senior Minister of State have any indications on how many appeals have been forwarded to MOH for consideration, for cases where the drugs are not on the CDL anymore?

Dr Janil Puthucheary: Sir, I do not have the data on how many appeals have been forwarded to MOH. Perhaps Mr Singh might like to file a separate question on that.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Ms Ng Ling Ling. A short supplementary question, please.

Ms Ng Ling Ling (Ang Mo Kio): Yes, Sir. I thank the Senior Minister of State for a very assuring reply on appeals are allowed for MOH. I just wanted to ask two supplementary questions. One, the scenario I asked in my Parliamentary Question, if a patient which is at stage 4 or which is terminal, is the insurance company that is providing Integrated Plans (IPs) for cancer coverage, obliged to appeal to MOH for grandfathering, if the patient is supported by an oncologist's clinical recommendation that the patient should continue on this cancer treatment or drug, even though it is outside of the drug list?

My second supplementary question is that for very rare cancer such as that of appendicitis, they are dropped into a general cancer category in CDL with the lowest subsidy caps. Can MOH consider to separate rare cancers out, for a clinical panel to evaluate them on a case by case basis for the cap?

Dr Janil Puthucheary: Sir, I would perhaps simplify the answer by saying that we would in these cases suggest that, whether it is the resident or the IP or the Member of Parliament representing the resident, the thing to do is to submit the appeal and we will look at it and assess the ways in which we can help that patient receive the most appropriate care – whether it is in the private sector, the public sector, whether it is about the drug or whether it is about the subsidy. There are a variety of mechanisms that we can use to try to find the best way to assist. I would encourage the Member to reach out, including to reach out to me, if necessary.