IP coverage of more outpatient treatments

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1611 
NOTICE OF QUESTION FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
FOR THE SITTING OF PARLIAMENT ON 9 JANUARY 2023

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song
MP for Aljunied GRC

Question No. 2521 

To ask the Minister for Health whether there are plans to work with insurers to enable medical claims to be made for a larger range of outpatient treatments that do not require hospitalisation, thereby alleviating both the financial out-of-pocket burden of families as well as the hospital bed crunch.

Answer

Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) are optional private health insurance products, subject to market competition and commercial considerations. They protect policyholders on top of MediShield Life, hence covering not only hospitalisation bills, but also day surgeries and selected outpatient treatments, such as kidney dialysis, cancer drug treatments and services, and radiotherapy. 

In recent years, most insurers have introduced new outpatient IP benefits, such as long-term parenteral nutrition and continuation of autologous bone marrow transplant. MOH is constantly in dialogue with the insurers, and understand that they regularly review their coverage to account for changes to care delivery, medical advances and patient needs, while bearing in mind affordability of premiums.