Health — Topics | PAPERCUTS

7 May 2024

State of Dental Health of Singaporeans and Inclusion of Dental Care in Healthier SG

Over 50% of Singaporeans visit a dentist annually, with 60% for preventive care and 40% for reactive dental care, and the Ministry of Health encourages more proactive dental health efforts.
The Ministry is reviewing whether dental care should be included in Healthier SG, which currently focuses on managing chronic diseases and other serious health conditions.
The Ministry acknowledges the importance of data on dental health and will consider collecting more information to better understand the state of dental health in Singapore.

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7 May 2024

Inclusion of Non-surgical Dental Treatments in MediSave Coverage

Melvin Yong asked if the Ministry of Health would allow non-surgical dental treatments, which can be essential yet costly, to be claimable under MediSave.
Ong Ye Kung responded that the Ministry is reviewing the extension of MediSave for non-surgical dental procedures like root canal treatments, but any changes must balance affordability with ensuring sufficient MediSave for future healthcare needs.
He noted that patients facing financial difficulties after subsidies and MediSave use can seek assistance from medical social workers for MediFund and other support.

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7 May 2024

Disparity in Subsidised Cancer Treatments and Drugs for Patients in Class B and Class C Wards

Sylvia Lim highlighted a potential disparity in access to subsidised cancer treatments between Class B and Class C wards, questioning which treatments are unavailable to Class C patients and requesting a review to reduce out-of-pocket expenses.
Ong Ye Kung clarified that all subsidised patients have equal access to the same cancer treatments and drugs across both Class B and C wards, with differences in charges stemming from subsidy rates rather than treatment availability.
The debate underscored concerns about equitable healthcare affordability, with the Minister reassuring that no treatment exclusions exist between the two ward classes.

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7 May 2024

Inclusion of Menstrual Health in School Sexuality Education Curriculum

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin suggested incorporating menstrual health into the school sexuality education curriculum to address low awareness of how symptoms may affect future fertility.
The Minister for Education, Chan Chun Sing, stated that menstrual health is already covered in Primary 5 sexuality education, Lower Secondary Science, and Upper Secondary Biology.
The debate highlighted existing curriculum content on menstruation and reproductive health across different educational stages.
The focus was on ensuring students understand physiological changes during puberty and their long-term implications.
The discussion emphasized the importance of education in addressing potential fertility issues early.

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7 May 2024

Encouraging Food Operators to Offer Healthier Meal Options and Refrain from Marketing Unhealthy Meal Sets to Students

Ms See Jinli Jean raised concerns about rising obesity among young people and asked how the Ministry of Education can work with nearby food operators to provide healthier meal options and stop marketing unhealthy meal sets to students.
The Health Promotion Board (HPB) runs the Healthier Dining Programme to partner food establishments in increasing healthier options for all consumers, not just students.
In schools, food and beverages sold in canteens, cafes, and vending machines must comply with HPB's Healthy Meals in Schools Programme guidelines.
As part of the school curriculum, students are taught the importance of healthy eating and how to make healthier food choices.

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7 May 2024

Enhancing Dengue Awareness Among Seniors and Stepping up Screening at Hot Spots

The National Environment Agency (NEA) runs targeted dengue prevention outreach for seniors, working with the Ministry of Health, the Silver Generation Office, social service agencies, and senior activity centres to share educational materials and distribute insect repellent in dengue clusters.
Primary healthcare providers, including general practitioner (GP) clinics and polyclinics, are reminded to be vigilant for dengue symptoms and collaborate with NEA and MOH to engage individuals diagnosed or suspected of having dengue to curb community transmission.
This year, educational materials such as posters and brochures on dengue prevention and clinical aftercare will be made available in GP clinics and polyclinics, especially those in key dengue hot spots.

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7 May 2024

Next Review of Outpatient Medical and Dental Expense Reimbursement for Civil Servants

Patrick Tay Teck Guan asked about the next review of outpatient medical and dental expense reimbursement for civil servants, noting the last adjustments were about a decade ago due to rising healthcare costs.
Chan Chun Sing, speaking for the Prime Minister, referred to previous parliamentary answers from November 2023 and February 2024 regarding reviews of benefits for public officers.
The Government does not have a fixed schedule for reviewing medical and dental benefits and continually assesses the adequacy of compensation packages considering healthcare costs, fiscal prudence, and national policies.

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7 May 2024

Development of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Managing Perimenopausal and Menopausal Symptoms

Ms Ng Ling Ling asked if the Ministry of Health will use findings from the Integrated Women's Health Programme (IWHP) study to develop Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) for managing perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, and how long it would take to develop such guidelines.
Minister Ong Ye Kung explained that the IWHP is a cohort study on menopause-related health issues like osteoporosis and sleep disturbances, with follow-up studies planned to cover management of these conditions.
The Minister noted that new clinical guidelines are prioritised based on disease burden and evidence availability, and that an existing guideline for osteoporosis already addresses a key condition in menopausal women.
He added that the full IWHP findings will later inform whether separate guidelines for menopausal symptoms are needed, but did not specify a timeline for development.

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7 May 2024

Extending Award for Nurses' Grace, Excellence and Loyalty Scheme to Encourage Retention of Nurses

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked if the ANGEL scheme, which aims to retain nurses in public healthcare, could be extended to nurses in private hospitals.
The Ministry of Health has no plans to extend the scheme to the private sector, as it is specifically designed for public and publicly-funded healthcare institutions.
Private hospitals are encouraged to create their own self-funded retention schemes, as they operate on commercial principles and have their own remuneration practices.

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7 May 2024

Progress of Work by National Wellness Committee for Junior Doctors

Louis Ng asked whether the National Wellness Committee for Junior Doctors has finalized recommendations, what they are, and if any have been implemented.
The committee has finalized recommendations including clearer work hour guidelines, enhanced career guidance, and a safer, more supportive environment for junior doctors.
Recommendations are being progressively implemented, with Chief Wellness Officers appointed and career pathways expanded.
Pilots to improve junior doctors' work hours have been successful and will be rolled out to more departments.

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7 May 2024

Skills Upgrade for Self-employed Arts Service Providers to Meet Requirements in New Arts Council Framework

The National Arts Council is collaborating with healthcare partners to develop a framework promoting arts for health and well-being, which will include best practices, impact measurement tools, and case studies to help self-employed arts practitioners meet desired outcomes.
The framework aims to create more opportunities for self-employed arts practitioners to use their talents to support well-being, though specific numbers of arts self-employed persons to be upskilled are not yet detailed.
Training support for self-employed arts service providers under the framework will be formulated in collaboration with partners, with more details to be shared later.

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7 May 2024

Proposal for Household Income Assessment for Residential Long-term Care Subsidies to Exclude Variable Earnings

Ms Sylvia Lim proposed that variable earnings such as bonuses and commissions be excluded from the per capita household income assessment for residential long-term care subsidies.
The Minister for Health, Ong Ye Kung, opposed the proposal, stating that variable income components should be included to provide a complete picture of a household's financial resources.
The Minister explained that means-testing uses an average of the past 12 months' income and is valid for two years to account for fluctuations.
He noted that individuals can appeal for a reassessment if their financial circumstances change or apply for further assistance if they still face difficulties after subsidies.

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7 May 2024

Impact of Temperature Hikes on Rate of Heat Injuries and Hydration amongst Students

Yip Hon Weng questioned the Ministry for Education on whether there has been a notable increase in student heat injuries over the past six months and if mandatory hydration breaks should be introduced.
Chan Chun Sing reported no significant trend in heat injuries between November 2023 and April 2024, with only one incident noted, and the student recovered after medical leave.
Schools currently encourage hydration but do not mandate scheduled breaks, focusing instead on teaching students to develop good hydration habits.

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7 May 2024

Monitoring Adoption of Flexible Work Arrangement Guidelines by Healthcare Institutions

The Ministry of Health acknowledges that while flexible work arrangements (FWAs) are more challenging in roster-based healthcare roles due to patient care continuity, part-time or fixed shift requests are considered sympathetically based on organizational and patient needs.
For office-based healthcare roles, there is greater flexibility, and the Ministry appreciates the value of FWAs in contingency planning, as seen during the COVID-19 response.
The Ministry supports FWAs by considering staff requests objectively, but specific measures for tracking effectiveness, overcoming manpower limits, and incentivizing alternative solutions like job-sharing are not detailed in the response.

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7 May 2024

Training for Healthcare Professionals Who Support Patients Who Are Neurodivergent or Have Disabilities, and Their Families

Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked the Minister for Health about the training healthcare professionals, including administrative staff, nurses, and doctors, receive to support neurodivergent patients or those with disabilities and their families in healthcare settings.
Ong Ye Kung responded that healthcare professionals are trained to provide compassionate and respectful care by personalizing treatment based on patients' care goals and best interests, and allowing additional consultation time.
Specialized conditions like autism spectrum disorders are treated by care teams with additional training, such as clinical psychologists who offer psychotherapy and rehabilitative therapies in collaboration with psychiatrists.
Administrative staff are trained to note and support additional needs, while medical social workers provide psychosocial support and caregiving advice for patients and families requiring further assistance.

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7 May 2024

Data on Rejections to Applications for Private Medical Insurance

Miss Rachel Ong asked the Ministry of Health for data on rejections of private medical insurance applications from 2015 to 2023, and the percentage involving people with mental health conditions or disabilities.
She also inquired about the number and average treatment costs for people with mental health conditions or disabilities who paid for hospital treatments without coverage beyond MediShield Life in the last 10 years.
Minister Ong Ye Kung responded that neither MOH nor the Monetary Authority of Singapore collects data on insurance application rejections or tracks the specific groups mentioned.
He noted that MediShield Life covers all Singaporeans and Permanent Residents regardless of pre-existing conditions, with additional government support to minimise cash out-of-pocket costs for subsidised care.
The Minister clarified that private insurance rejections are subject to commercial underwriting and are not tracked by MOH.

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7 May 2024

Policy on Charging Patients who Choose Different Ward Classes for Different Hospital Stays

The Ministry of Health has different policies for ward downgrades and upgrades: downgrades are subsidized per class and supported for financial hardship, while upgrades trigger retroactive subsidy adjustments to prevent selective behavior.
Patients are counseled at admission on financial implications, and upgrades followed by downgrades may result in higher charges unless appeals or means-testing criteria are met.
Residents have reported issues with downgrades not being allowed except via A&E, and confirm that even after downgrading, patients pay higher medicine costs from the original class.

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3 Apr 2024

Data on Monthly Payout Claims under CareShield Life and Possible Improvements

Liang Eng Hwa asked about the range of monthly payouts under CareShield Life since its start and whether the premium-to-claim economics can be improved.
CareShield Life payouts began at $600 per month in 2020, rise by 2% yearly until 2025, and a 2024 claimant gets $649 monthly with premiums suspended while severely disabled.
The scheme is not-for-profit, with premiums set actuarially and based on lifetime principles where young policyholders pay upfront and claims occur later, making a current premium-to-claim ratio assessment inappropriate.
An independent council reviews and recommends premium and payout changes under a sound actuarial framework.

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3 Apr 2024

Efforts to Improve Coverage and to Explore Alternative or Subsidy Models for Affordable Mental Healthcare Services

The Government focuses on expanding mental health services in public hospitals and polyclinics, offering subsidies of up to 80%, while continuing to work with the insurance industry to improve coverage, as detailed in a previously published written answer.
Subsidies for mental health conditions are available at selected private CHAS GP clinics for eligible groups like Pioneer and Merdeka Generation cardholders, with support from MediSave under the Chronic Disease Management Programme.
The Mental Health GP Partnership Programme has trained over 450 GPs, with a target to extend mental health services to 1,350 Healthier SG GP clinics by 2030.
The Government does not fund private hospitals for subsidised mental care but prioritizes expanding capacity in public settings and collaborates with the private sector on alternative financing or subsidy models as part of ongoing efforts.

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3 Apr 2024

Ensuring Development of Informed Consent Procedure Guidelines and its Proper Implementation in Treating Mental Health Conditions

Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Health about ensuring ethical, adaptable, and autonomy-respecting informed consent procedures for mental health treatment, including for minors or cases where guardians lack understanding or contribute to issues, and whether specific guidelines will be developed.
Ong Ye Kung responded that consent in medical practice involves shared decision-making between patient and clinician, with clinicians providing information and patients exercising autonomy, and that these principles apply to mental health care.
The Minister noted that the Government has received feedback indicating parental consent requirements for those under 21 may hinder access to mental health support, and the Ministry of Health is studying this feedback.

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