Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Health whether there are plans to work with insurers to enable medical claims to be made for a larger range of outpatient treatments that do not require hospitalisation, thereby alleviating both the financial out-of-pocket burden of families as well as the hospital bed crunch.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Integrated Shield Plans (IPs) are optional private health insurance products, subject to market competition and commercial considerations. They protect policyholders on top of MediShield Life, hence covering not only hospitalisation bills, but also day surgeries and selected outpatient treatments, such as kidney dialysis, cancer drug treatments and services, and radiotherapy.
In recent years, most insurers have introduced new outpatient IP benefits, such as long-term parenteral nutrition and continuation of autologous bone marrow transplant. MOH is constantly in dialogue with the insurers, and understand that they regularly review their coverage to account for changes to care delivery, medical advances and patient needs, while bearing in mind affordability of premiums.
Ministry of Health
9 January 2023
https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/#/sprs3topic?reportid=written-answer-12460
Office of the Leader of the Opposition 