Waiving Polyclinic Doctors' Memo Fees for SG Enable Schemes and Grants Applications

16 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health whether the doctor's memo fee for certifying the medical status of a patient to qualify for the schemes and grants administered by SG Enable may be waived at polyclinics.

Mr Ong Ye Kung: Writing a medical memo requires the doctor's time and effort to review and summarise the patient's medical status. A fee is therefore charged at the polyclinics for these memos.

As a matter of principle, we do not waive charges across the board for polyclinic services, which are already heavily subsidised. However, patients who need more support are able to apply for additional financial assistance. Agencies in charge of respective schemes may also assess whether to fully cover the charges for the schemes they administer.