CHAS subsidies tiered according to per capita household monthly income

Lianhe Zaobao, 10 July 2013

“社保援助计划”如何评估家庭收入？

我 在2012年中退休，单身，目前没有工作。我在民众俱乐部的活动中，经居民委员会会员介绍关于“社保援助计划”（CHAS）的好处。如果在CHAS的诊所 看病能得到医疗津贴，包括普通病症、慢性疾病、牙科服务。援助卡分为蓝色和橙色，蓝色是家中无收入才可申请，每日医疗津贴顶限为18元半；橙色就只享有普 通病症的医疗津贴。

我真不明白，我是个退休者，又没有收入；我的朋友住五房式组屋，有两个儿子大学毕业生，已经工作，他申请CHAS却能拿到蓝卡，我申请只拿到橙卡。

我觉得很不公平，有关单位是如何评估家庭收入的呢？难道有孩子养的人所得到的医疗津贴，可以比单身者更高？

郑素华

Translation:

How does CHAS assess household income?

Ms Zheng Su Hua asked how household income is determined under the CHAS scheme. She retired in 2012, and is single and unemployed. She said that when she applied for the CHAS card, she got the orange card, whereas her friend, who lives in a 5-room flat and who has two children who have graduated and are working, got the blue CHAS card, which offers a higher subsidy. She finds it unfair and questions why people who have children to support them receive higher subsidies than someone who does not.  

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Reply from MOH

Lianhe Zaobao, 16 July 2013

CHAS subsidies tiered according to per capita household monthly income

We are glad that Ms Zheng Su Hua (‘How does CHAS assess household income?”, 10 July) has successfully applied to be a cardholder under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS).

There are two subsidy tiers under CHAS to better target subsidies according to needs.  Applicants are assessed based on per capita household monthly income, based on an average of the past 12 months’ income. Those with a per capita household monthly income of $900 and below, and $901 to $1,500, will qualify for a blue and orange card respectively.  For those without household income, the assessment is by the Annual Value of the residential property. More information on the CHAS eligibility criteria and the benefits under each card can be accessed at www.chas.sg.

We have reached out to Ms Zheng to better understand her case. As she had applied for CHAS shortly after she retired, her past 12 months’ income had been taken into account. We are in touch with her to see how we can assist her further, given her present circumstances.

Bey Mui Leng (Ms)
Director, Corporate Communications
Ministry of Health