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11 November 2013
Question No. 699
Name of Person: Ms Tan Su Shan
Question
To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will review Eldershield, specifically its adequacy, in tandem with drafting of the new terms of Medishield Life.
Answer
1 The Ministry of Health regularly reviews catastrophic and long-term care insurance coverage, MediShield and ElderShield respectively, to ensure they meet Singaporeans’ needs.
2 We have undertaken a major review of MediShield. With the introduction of MediShield Life, all Singaporeans will benefit from better coverage for large subsidised hospital bills.
3 ElderShield provides basic protection to help meet the costs of long-term care due to severe old-age disability. Today, the scheme provides monthly cash payouts of up to $400, for up to six years.
4 We are in the process of reviewing the key design parameters of ElderShield, taking into consideration long-term care needs, and the impact on ElderShield premiums to support higher benefits.