MediShield Life complements employer benefits

Joint MOH and Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB) Reply

Lianhe Zaobao, 27 Dec 2016  

MediShield Life complements employer benefits               

We refer to Mr Chew Chuan Seng (Zhou Quan Sheng)’s query on the use of his Medisave for his wife’s hospitalisation bill (“Why can’t MediShield be used?”, 6 Dec).

MediShield Life provides health insurance coverage for life to all Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents. The basic health insurance scheme helps to pay for large hospital bills and selected costly outpatient treatments.

MediShield Life has co-payment features, such as deductible and co-insurance, which are designed to protect members against larger bills and also to keep premiums affordable. The deductible is a fixed amount payable by the insured per policy year before MediShield Life pays out on claims. The insured also pays 3 to 10 per cent of the remaining bill as co-insurance. Both the deductible and co-insurance can be settled using cash and/or Medisave. The rest will be covered by MediShield Life, subject to claim limits.  

MediShield Life complements the benefits provided by employers, such as the Civil Service medical benefits which Mr Chew is eligible for as a Government pensioner. The MediShield Life payout is computed on the total bill, and is separate from the employer benefits. Government pensioners will continue to enjoy all their existing medical benefits, and will not pay higher out-of-pocket for their medical expenses than if MediShield Life had not been introduced.

We have contacted Mr Chew to explain the matter in detail.
 

Irene Kang (Ms)
Group Director (Communications)
Central Provident Fund Board

Lim Siok Peng (Ms)
Deputy Director (Corporate Communications)
Ministry of Health

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Forum Letter

Lianhe Zaobao, 6 Dec 2016

为何不能用健保双全支付

几年前，我向公积金局询问有关公务员福利计划“共同负担住院费方案”（Co-Payment on Ward Scheme，简称CPW）的详情。这个方案公务员需自付20%（家属则须付50%）的住院费，其他一切医疗或手术费用都是免付的。在这种情况下，公务员及其家属是否还有必要投保健保双全计划（MediShield，编注：健保双全自2015年11月1日起由终身健保取代，称MediShield Life）或私人综合健保计划（Integrated Shield Plan）。我得到的答复是：

“虽然公务员及其家属在CPW方案享有所提供的医药福利，但他们仍须自付20%和50%的住院费……扣除CPW支付后的剩余费用可以健保双全计划解决。公务员无需动用他们的保健储蓄（Medisave）来支付这一部分。”

可是事实并非如此。我太太不久前因血压过高而留医几天，出院后接到医院寄来的账单显示，扣除CPW支付的费用，剩下的自付部分从她的保健储蓄户头扣除，而不是公积金当局上述回复所说的，可由健保双全计划解决。这已经是第二次发生这样的事情。我太太是被分配到投保职总英康的康保双全（NTUC Income IncomeShield）。

为何在这个问题上，医院的账单处理和公积金局的说法南辕北辙。我是因为公积金局当年的答复，才没有退出健保双全计划或私人综合健保计划。如今有需要却不能向私人综合健保计划索款，反而要从保健储蓄户头中扣除。当局能给我一个说法吗？

周全生