Debated in Parliament on 5 Aug 2019.
Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Health whether the Ministry will consider allowing Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation cardholders to receive subsidies for certain treatments at selected traditional chinese medicine clinics approved by the Ministry.
The Pioneer Generation (PG) package and the Merdeka Generation (MG) package outpatient benefits have been designed to help Pioneers and Merdeka Generation seniors better afford subsidised services and medications at public healthcare institutions, as well as at clinics participating in the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS).
There are currently no plans to extend PG and MG subsidies to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinics as TCM plays a complementary role in our healthcare system. MOH provides support for TCM development in various ways including funding and support for TCM capability development, continuing education as well as research. Charitable TCM establishments with Institution of Public Character (IPC) status also benefit from tax exemption and are eligible to receive tax deductible donations, which then enable them to provide affordable TCM services in the community. Seniors who wish to seek TCM treatments can receive these affordable TCM services in such establishments in the community. As of today, there are more than 50 charitable TCM clinics.
I thank the Senior Minister of State. I have one supplementary question. Many of the elderly whom I meet believe in the great benefits of acupuncture. Will the Ministry at least consider allowing PG and MG cardholders to receive subsidies for acupuncture treatments referred by doctors to TCM clinics in the public hospitals.
For the efficacy and safety of the treatment, in this case acupuncture, particularly the context of pain management and post-stroke rehabilitation, this will be considered. Indeed, the Member might wish to know that PG subsidies are already available for acupuncture treatments, not all forms but for certain types of acupuncture treatments at SGH and Sengkang Hospital. And the MG benefits will also extend when the package is rolled out on the 1 November. For all other aspects of TCM including acupuncture at other PHIs, we will consider to study the efficacy and safety and decide incrementally when to introduce them.
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