MOH Appoints Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee

21 January 2018

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1. The Ministry of Health (MOH) has appointed a Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee to develop an approach for setting reasonable fee benchmarks and recommend appropriate benchmarks for medical procedures and services.

2. Fee benchmarks will encourage and help healthcare providers to charge more appropriately and enable patients and payers to make better informed decisions on care options. MOH’s plan to publish fee benchmarks is part of its larger effort to build a sustainable healthcare system, which include other initiatives such as health promotion, care transformation and productivity enhancements.

3. The Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee comprises members from different backgrounds. Members include representatives from the medical community and healthcare providers, unions and non-profit organisations that can advocate for patients, payers from the public and private sectors, and academia. The Committee is chaired by Dr Lim Yean Teng, a senior cardiologist in private practice who had previously served as chairman to a number of national committees. The full composition of the Committee can be found in Annex A.

4. To develop the fee benchmarks, the Committee will have access to the current and past transacted data and trends on fees. Where appropriate, it will consult experts and stakeholders from the medical and non-medical communities.

5. The Committee aims to develop the first tranche of fee benchmarks for common medical procedures in the second half of 2018. Thereafter, it will progressively extend its coverage to other medical procedures and services. The Committee will review and update the fee benchmarks periodically to ensure that they remain relevant and up-to-date. The Committee may also make suggestions on how the benchmarks can be made more accessible and useful to providers, patients, caregivers and payers.

6. Dr Lim Yean Teng, Chairperson of the Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee, said, “We hope our work will play a part in addressing the issue of rising healthcare costs, and keep costs sustainable. The Committee will carefully consider the concerns of healthcare service providers, receivers and payers represented, and take them into account when developing the fee benchmarks. Ultimately, the effectiveness of the fee benchmarks will depend on how well it is accepted by all the parties concerned.”

ANNEX A
FEE BENCHMARKS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Table caption

CHAIRMAN
Dr Lim Yean Teng Dr Lim Yean Teng is currently a Senior Consultant Cardiologist in private practice. He had previously served in the public sector for 24 years, including as Chairman of the Medical Board and the Head of Cardiac Department at the National University Hospital. Dr Lim has also served on various national committees, including as Chairman of the National Committee for Cardiac Care, and Chairman for the Specialists’ Training Committee for Cardiology at the Ministry of Health (MOH).
MEMBERS
Dr Ang Chong Lye Dr Ang Chong Lye is a Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Singapore National Eye Centre. He was formerly the Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore General Hospital and Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Health Services (Clinical Services & Informatics). Prior to that, Dr Ang was the former Medical Director of Singapore National Eye Centre.
Mr Benedict Cheong Mr Benedict Cheong is the Chief Executive of Temasek Foundation International. Prior to this, he was the Chief Executive Officer of the National Council of Social Service. Mr Cheong is currently also serving as Chairman of the Medifund Advisory Council.
Dr Ho Kok Sun A Council Member of the Academy of Medicine Singapore (AMS), Dr Ho Kok Sun represents the AMS on the Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee. He is a Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, currently in private practice and formerly at the Singapore General Hospital. Dr Ho is also the immediate past President of the College of Surgeons Singapore.
Mr Karthikeyan Krishnamurthy Mr Karthikeyan Krishnamurthy is the Vice President of National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) Central Committee. He is also the Vice President of the Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) Central Committee Central Committee. He had previously served as a Nominated Member of Parliament.
Dr Lam Kian Ming Dr Lam Kian Ming is the Chief Executive Officer of Mount Alvernia Hospital. Prior to this, he was the Chief Executive Officer of Thomson Medical Group (Singapore) and Group Director at the Health Sciences Authority.
Dr Lim Hui Ling Currently the Honorary Assistant Secretary for the College of Family Physicians Singapore (CFPS), Dr Lim Hui Ling represents the CFPS on the Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee. Dr Lim is a Senior Family Physician in private practice.
Ms Ngiam Siew Ying Ms Ngiam Siew Ying is the Deputy Secretary (Policy) at the Ministry of Health.
Dr Phua Kai Hong Dr Phua Kai Hong is Faculty Member of Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. A health economist, Dr Phua has served on various boards of healthcare organisations and national health policy and advisory committees. His advice is frequently sought by governments and international organisations.
Dr Tan Boon Yeow Dr Tan Boon Yeow is currently the Chief Executive Officer of St Luke’s Hospital. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Chapter of Family Medicine, Academy of Medicine and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS) and Duke-NUS Medical School.
Dr Toh Choon Lai Currently a Council Member of the Singapore Medical Association (SMA), Dr Toh Choon Lai represents the SMA on the Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee. Dr Toh was formerly the first Vice President of the SMA and the editor of the last edition of the SMA Guidelines on Fees. Dr Toh is a senior Orthopaedic Surgeon in private practice. He was previously the Deputy Head of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
Mr Richard Wyber Currently the Chairperson of the Health Insurance Task Force Working Group of the Life Insurance Association Singapore (LIA), Mr Richard Wyber represents the LIA on the Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee. Mr Wyber is the Head of Healthcare & Vitality Marketing of AIA Singapore.
Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed is a Non-Resident Ambassador for Kuwait and the Foreign Minister’s Special Envoy for the Middle East. Mr Zainul was formerly the Senior Minister of State (Foreign Affairs), Mayor of the North East Community Development Council, and a Member of Parliament. He has also served on various boards and committees of both private and non-profit organisations.

CHAIRMAN

Dr Lim Yean Teng

Dr Lim Yean Teng is currently a Senior Consultant Cardiologist in private practice. He had previously served in the public sector for 24 years, including as Chairman of the Medical Board and the Head of Cardiac Department at the National University Hospital. Dr Lim has also served on various national committees, including as Chairman of the National Committee for Cardiac Care, and Chairman for the Specialists’ Training Committee for Cardiology at the Ministry of Health (MOH).

MEMBERS

Dr Ang Chong Lye

Dr Ang Chong Lye is a Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Singapore National Eye Centre. He was formerly the Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore General Hospital and Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Health Services (Clinical Services & Informatics). Prior to that, Dr Ang was the former Medical Director of Singapore National Eye Centre.

Mr Benedict Cheong

Mr Benedict Cheong is the Chief Executive of Temasek Foundation International. Prior to this, he was the Chief Executive Officer of the National Council of Social Service. Mr Cheong is currently also serving as Chairman of the Medifund Advisory Council.

Dr Ho Kok Sun

A Council Member of the Academy of Medicine Singapore (AMS), Dr Ho Kok Sun represents the AMS on the Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee. He is a Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, currently in private practice and formerly at the Singapore General Hospital. Dr Ho is also the immediate past President of the College of Surgeons Singapore.

Mr Karthikeyan Krishnamurthy

Mr Karthikeyan Krishnamurthy is the Vice President of National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) Central Committee. He is also the Vice President of the Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) Central Committee Central Committee. He had previously served as a Nominated Member of Parliament.

Dr Lam Kian Ming

Dr Lam Kian Ming is the Chief Executive Officer of Mount Alvernia Hospital. Prior to this, he was the Chief Executive Officer of Thomson Medical Group (Singapore) and Group Director at the Health Sciences Authority.

Dr Lim Hui Ling

Currently the Honorary Assistant Secretary for the College of Family Physicians Singapore (CFPS), Dr Lim Hui Ling represents the CFPS on the Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee. Dr Lim is a Senior Family Physician in private practice.

Ms Ngiam Siew Ying

Ms Ngiam Siew Ying is the Deputy Secretary (Policy) at the Ministry of Health.

Dr Phua Kai Hong

Dr Phua Kai Hong is Faculty Member of Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. A health economist, Dr Phua has served on various boards of healthcare organisations and national health policy and advisory committees. His advice is frequently sought by governments and international organisations.

Dr Tan Boon Yeow

Dr Tan Boon Yeow is currently the Chief Executive Officer of St Luke’s Hospital. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Chapter of Family Medicine, Academy of Medicine and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS) and Duke-NUS Medical School.

Dr Toh Choon Lai

Currently a Council Member of the Singapore Medical Association (SMA), Dr Toh Choon Lai represents the SMA on the Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee. Dr Toh was formerly the first Vice President of the SMA and the editor of the last edition of the SMA Guidelines on Fees. Dr Toh is a senior Orthopaedic Surgeon in private practice. He was previously the Deputy Head of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Mr Richard Wyber

Currently the Chairperson of the Health Insurance Task Force Working Group of the Life Insurance Association Singapore (LIA), Mr Richard Wyber represents the LIA on the Fee Benchmarks Advisory Committee. Mr Wyber is the Head of Healthcare & Vitality Marketing of AIA Singapore.

Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed

Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed is a Non-Resident Ambassador for Kuwait and the Foreign Minister’s Special Envoy for the Middle East. Mr Zainul was formerly the Senior Minister of State (Foreign Affairs), Mayor of the North East Community Development Council, and a Member of Parliament. He has also served on various boards and committees of both private and non-profit organisations.