MediFund Continues to Assist Needy Singaporeans with their Healthcare Needs

1.     The Medical Endowment Fund (MediFund) provided a total of $156.9 million through about 1.2 million successful applications in assistance to needy Singaporeans for their medical bills in Financial Year (FY) 2020, i.e., for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021.

2.     MediFund is a safety net for needy Singaporean patients who are unable to afford their medical bills, after Government subsidies, insurance and MediSave. MediFund Silver and MediFund Junior were introduced in 2007 and 2013 respectively to provide more targeted assistance for the elderly and children respectively. MediFund ensures that no Singaporean will be denied basic medical care due to inability to pay.

3.     The amount disbursed by MediFund in FY2020 was $2.2 million lower than the $159.1 million disbursed in FY2019. The decrease in assistance was mainly due to lower number of patient visits to the Public Healthcare Institutions (PHIs) and Intermediate and Long-term Care (ILTC) facilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The key statistics of MediFund assistance provided in FY2020 are:

1. The number of approved MediFund applications was 1,150,985. This was a 5.3% decrease from the 1,215,809 number of approved applications in FY2019, contributed by a decrease in the total number of applications over the same period[1];

   
   

2. In PHIs, a total assistance of $120.3 million was provided to patients, compared to $122.8 million in FY2019;

   
   

3. In ILTC facilities, a total assistance of $36.6 million was provided to patients, compared to $36.2 million in FY2019; and

   
   

4. On average, the amount of MediFund assistance provided was $841 per inpatient treatment, and $93 per outpatient treatment.

4.     More details can be found in the Medical Endowment Scheme Annual Report 2020/2021.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

30 NOVEMBER 2021

[1] Total applications in FY2020 decreased by about 4.0% compared to FY2019.