Transfer of Patients between Hospitals Operated by Different Healthcare Groups Without Polyclinic Referral to Maintain Subsidies

12 Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health whether subsidised patients can be transferred directly from a National Healthcare Group hospital to a SingHealth hospital without needing a new polyclinic referral to maintain their subsidies.

The Minister of State for Health (Ms Rahayu Mahzam) (for the Minister for Health): Subsidised patients who are transferred to another public healthcare institution to continue the care for their condition, can retain their subsidy status without the need for a polyclinic referral. This applies whether within the same cluster or between different clusters.

Mr Speaker: Ms Denise Phua.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar): I thank the Minister of State for the direct answer. I was asking this question on behalf of a resident and members of the Breast Cancer Foundation. I am not sure if what the Minister of State has just said is actually communicated and also practised on the ground. So, I will appreciate if that could be done, so that they have less concerns while already going through a lot of anxieties due to their medical conditions.

Ms Rahayu Mahzam: I thank the Member for the feedback given. As far as I am aware, it is practised. But perhaps I could engage the Member to get some specific details of the case to understand where the gap is and why that was not communicated to the patient.