Pensioners under Fixed Amount on Ward Medical Benefits Scheme and Co-payment on Ward Medical Benefits Scheme

Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the current number and percentage of pensioners under the Fixed Amount on Ward (FAW) medical benefits scheme who have withdrawn their MediSave completely; (b) what is the current number and percentage of pensioners under Co-payment on Ward (CPW) medical benefits scheme who have not met 30% of their cohort's applicable Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS); and (c) whether CPW pensioners can withdraw the excess amount above their required BHS from their MediSave accounts.

Fixed Amount on Ward (FAW) pensioners are entitled to comprehensive medical benefits at Government healthcare institutions and are hence not required to set aside any MediSave. However, they may opt to set aside MediSave. One thousand two hundred and thirty-six, or 99.6% of FAW pensioners, have zero MediSave balances.

Co-payment on Ward (CPW) pensioners need to set aside 30% of their cohort's applicable Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS). In 2016, 8,200, or 50% of CPW pensioners, have MediSave balances below 30% of their cohort’s applicable BHS.

For all Central Provident Fund (CPF) members, any MediSave monies above their respective BHS is automatically transferred to their other CPF accounts. FAW and CPW pensioners will be able to withdraw these monies if they had met their applicable Retirement Sum.