Debated in Parliament on 6 Nov 2025.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health whether the Ministry tracks and issues guidelines on listed prices for subsidised procedures at public hospitals, particularly given efforts to curb the prevalence of insurance riders.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) provides broad guidance to Public Healthcare Institutions to set fees to recover operating costs, after Government subsidy, and to maintain their quality of care and service to patients. Hospital bill information for surgical procedures and inpatient medical conditions are published on MOH's website.
MOH has explained in the written reply to Parliamentary Question 21 for the Sitting on 14 October 2025 that Integrated Shield Plans and riders are mainly designed for private healthcare, and do not have much impact within public healthcare. [Please refer to "Preventing Spill-over Effects of Unsustainable Private Insurance Practices into Public Hospital Charges and Keeping Premiums Affordable", Official Report, 14 October 2025, Vol 96, Issue 7, Written Answers to Questions section.]
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