Debated in Parliament on 1 Mar 2016.
Mr Png Eng Huat asked the Minister for Health (a) whether pensioners are paying more or less out-of-pocket expenses on the average for their medical treatments since the implementation of MediShield Life on 1 November 2015; and (b) whether all pensioners have been informed of the free MediShield Life coverage for their spouses.
Government pensioners, like all Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents, have been covered under MediShield Life from 1 November 2015. Government pensioners will continue to enjoy all their existing medical benefits and will not pay higher out-of-pocket for their medical expenses than if MediShield Life had not been introduced.
In addition, Government pensioners can use MediShield Life to help pay for the co-payment portion of their bills, if any. Some pensioners with larger bills may pay even lower out-of-pocket expenses with MediShield Life.
The Government is paying the MediShield Life premiums in full for pensioners and their dependants on the Fixed Amount on Ward (FAW) and Co-payment on Ward (CPW) schemes. Pensioners on the Comprehensive Co-payment Scheme (CCS) and Medisave-cum-Subsidised Outpatient (MSO) scheme receive higher Medisave contributions from the Government. They can use this to help pay for their own and their dependants' premiums. The Public Service Division has written to all eligible Government pensioners in 2015 to inform them of this arrangement, conducted various engagement sessions with pensioners and is maintaining a hotline to clarify any queries.
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