MOH: 'Medifund criteria are public'

07 Oct 2009, Today

Question

Name of the Person: Leong Sze Hian

Make Medifund criteria public

I would like to highlight some possible gaps in the multi-tier system of Medisave, MediShield and Medifund, to ensure that healthcare remains affordable and accessible to all Singaporeans.

I have tried to ask many medical social workers for the criteria to qualify for Medifund, but have been told that it is confidential.

As I understand it, all family members' Medisave, as well as the bulk of their savings, must be depleted, before one can qualify for Medifund. What this may mean is that by the time one qualifies for Medifund, the entire family may in essence be left with almost nothing already. Therefore, I would like to suggest that the Medifund criteria be made public, so that Singaporeans may not have a false sense of complacency, that if they cannot pay for medical costs, they can always rely on Medifund.

For example, some important information that Singaporeans may need to be made aware of, are that as I understand it, about one out of five patients who apply may be rejected, Medifund generally cannot be used for polyclinic out-patient treatment and medicine, patients who are referred by a general practitioner cannot select subsidized Class C and B2 hospital wards and medical treatment and thus cannot qualify for Medifund, the maximum Medifund subsidy for B2 is 60 per cent, etc.

The last time the question was asked in Parliament, the success rate after means testing for patients who requested for down-grading to subsidized C and B2 ward and treatment, was only about one per cent. Recently, it was announced in Parliament that less than one per cent lapse their MediShield.

However, as I understand that there are about one million on MediShield, does it mean that about 10,000 every year lapse their cover because they cannot afford the premiums? How many Medisave accounts have zero or less than $500?

The last statistic given by Madam Halimah Yacob, chairperson of the Government Parliamentary Committee on Health, was that about 750,000 do not have any form of medical insurance. For those parents whose children were born with medical conditions which resulted in their MediShield being rejected, the stark reality may be that the entire family's Medisave and savings may have to be almost exhausted, before they can rely on Medifund.

Our healthcare system may be one of the most cost-effective in the world with GDP spending of only about four per cent, and about 75 per cent by private individuals and 25 per cent by the state. But, for those who may fall in between the gaps in our multi-tier system, described above, is it any wonder that practically every study or survey have Singaporeans saying that the affordability of healthcare is one of their greatest concerns?

http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC090929-0000290/Online-Only----Make-Medifund-criteria-public

Reply

Name of the Person: Karen Tan (Ms)

Director, Corporate Communications

Ministry of Health 

Mr Leong Sze Hian suggested that we "Make Medifund Criteria Public" (TODAY Online, Sep 29).

We do. The general eligibility criteria are published on the Ministry of Health website at http://www.moh.gov.sg/mohcorp/hcfinancing.aspx?id=346.

In addition, the hospital Medifund committees assess each case very carefully and are free to exercise discretion in evaluating the merit of each case.

Mr Leong claimed that one out of five patients who apply for Medifund is rejected. This is incorrect. The approval rate is 99 per cent.

Mr Leong also claimed that patients referred from GPs cannot opt for Class B2 and C wards. This is also incorrect. All Singaporean patients who require admission are free to choose their ward class.

http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC091007-0000218/Online-Only---MOH--Medifund-criteria-are-public