Aligning Commercial Interests of Insurance Companies with Needs of Doctors and Patients

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health whether the Ministry will look into better aligning the commercial interests of insurance companies with the needs of doctors and patients, particularly in the prescription of experimental treatments for chronic diseases, such that patients who are insured do not have to fear being out of pocket and doctors do not have to worry about not being paid.

Experimental treatments, by definition, have not been assessed rigorously for safety, clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, it is not appropriate to fund such treatments under the mainstream financing or insurance schemes. Instead, they are typically supported through research grants and extended to selected patients.