MediShield Lifetime and Policy Year Limits

21 October 2013

Question No. 662

Name of Person:  Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song

Question

To ask the Minister for Health (a) in 2011 and 2012, how many MediShield policyholders reached the (i) $50,000 policy year limit and (ii) $200,000 lifetime limit; and (b) in 2013, how many MediShield policyholders are projected to reach the revised (i) $70,000 policy year limit and (ii) $300,000 lifetime limit.

Answer

1                   Fewer than 0.1% of MediShield policyholders reached the policy year and lifetime limits in 2011 and 2012.  The breakdown is shown below.

Notes:

(1)   Refers to policyholders whose claims exceeded the policy year limit, based on the start date of their policy year. E.g. Policyholders whose policy year starts from Oct 2010 to Sep 2011 and exceeded the policy year limit during this period will be reflected under the 2010 count.

(2)   Refers to policyholders whose total lifetime claims exceeded the lifetime limit in the calendar year. Number of policyholders who reached policy year and lifetime limit are not mutually exclusive.

(3) Number of policyholders who reached the policy year limit in 2012 are not finalised as policy years which started in 2012 will only be completed in 2013. E.g. Policyholders whose policy years start on Dec 2012 will only end their policy years in Nov 2013.  

2                   The MediShield policy year and lifetime limits were recently increased in March 2013 from $50,000 to $70,000 and from $200,000 to $300,000 respectively.  These enhancements will address concerns that an increasing number of policyholders will exceed the policy year and lifetime claim limits, with ageing and accumulation of claims over time.  

3                   As these limits were just raised in March 2013, we will monitor the trend in policyholders exceeding these new limits each year.  Financial assistance will continue to be available for those who face difficulty with their medical bills at our public healthcare institutions.    

4                   As part of our study on moving towards MediShield Life to provide greater assurance for Singaporeans, the Ministry will continue to consider further enhancements to the scheme, including the policy year and lifetime limits.