Waive $3.05 levy on Medisave use

31 Aug 2006, The Straits Times

Question

Name of the Person: Toh Eng Lee (Mdm)

Waive $3.05 levy on Medisave use

A MEDISAVE milestone will be reached on Oct 1 when CPF money can be used for visits to the general practitioner. This is good news to patients with chronic illnesses. 

Many a time in the polyclinics I see senior citizens at the pharmacy asking to be given less than the full medication because they are in financial difficulty. 

I am thus surprised that each use of Medisave for GP bills carries an administrative fee of $3.05. Could not this fee be waived to help the poor?

Reply

Reply from MOH 

MOH clarifies fee for Medisave use 

In her letter on 31st August, Mdm Toh Eng Lee has asked for a waiver of the administration fee on Medisave use. As with all billing, credit card or banking transactions, it costs money to process each Medisave transaction. CPFB has recovered such cost through an administrative fee ever since Medisave was introduced in 1984. This is levied on all institutions which may choose to absorb them as part of their running costs. If they are charged out immediately to patients, CPFB requires that it be itemised clearly in the bill. 

This will similarly apply to the new Medisave for chronic diseases scheme. 

Public institutions will, however, assist needy Singaporeans on a case-by-case basis.