Debated in Parliament on 21 Jan 2014.
Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Minister for Health how do polyclinics and Government hospitals raise the awareness of Medifund among patients.
Mdm Speaker, Medifund is an endowment fund set up in 1993 to help needy Singaporeans who are unable to afford their medical expenses in spite of heavy subsidies, MediShield and Medisave coverage. Over the years, we have increased the annual amount of Medifund assistance to reach almost $100 million last year, and have also expanded its scope to cover more services.
To create greater awareness of Medifund, information on Medifund is publicised through brochures available at the hospitals, and we will also make them available at the polyclinics where Medifund was extended to recently. We also encourage patients and their families who face difficulties with their medical bills to approach the medical social workers at the public hospitals and polyclinics, or speak to healthcare professionals caring for them. Hospital and polyclinic staff may also take the initiative to approach patients to ask if they are in need of assistance, if they observe patients having difficulties making
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payment, especially during financial counselling.
Mdm Speaker, there have been anecdotal accounts of patients or their families having to sell their flats or take up loans in order to pay hospital bills. I have also heard of patients who go to polyclinics, but do not have the money to pay for the full prescription and instead asked for shorter duration of the course of medicine. It seems that there are still people who are not aware that Government has put in a lot of money to help patients in need.
I would like to ask whether MOH can work out an SOP rather than just leaving it to individual initiative, given the heavier patient load in the hospitals nowadays. An SOP for all Government hospitals to give out leaflets on Medifund upon patients' admission and for hospitals and polyclinics to display notices in four languages at the cashier counters to inform the public that they can ask to see the medical social worker to apply for Medifund when they have financial difficulties.
Madam, I would like to thank the Member for his suggestion. I would like to assure the Member that, as mentioned in my reply earlier, we will continue to improve our outreach efforts to fellow Singaporeans to see how they can get assistance. We have increased assistance. If we look at the financial assistance we provided in Financial Year 2012, total financial assistance given to Medifund-accredited institutions increased by 12.2%, from $90.8 million in FY2011 to $101.9 million in FY2012.
Beyond that, I have also come across Singaporeans who have been helped through the Medifund scheme, as well as in my engagement with the Medifund Committee members. They have shared with me inspiring stories of how Medifund has helped fellow Singaporeans in their medical bills as well as getting them to get medical treatment.
I would like to urge Members of the House to help in this outreach exercise. If Members hear of anyone with difficulties paying their medical bills, let us know and we will see how we can help further. We want to make sure that Singaporeans receive the appropriate treatment.
Mdm Speaker, like the hon Member Mr Baey Yam Keng, I have also come across cases where patients and my residents have said that sometimes, they are not aware of where to go to for financial
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assistance. For example, some of them may not have even heard of the medical social work department. My supplementary question is whether MOH intends to start a campaign or put in place a programme to publicise the various avenues of financial assistance available to patients of both public hospitals and polyclinics.
Again, Madam, I thank the Member for his suggestion and feedback. It is similar to Mr Baey Yam Keng's supplementary question earlier. I would take this back to my Ministry.
PAPERCUTS