SINGAPORE — More than two years after it was first mooted, universal health insurance coverage for all Singaporeans and Permanent Residents under MediShield Life will kick in on Nov 1, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong announced today (Aug 2).

And from the end of next month, letters notifying individuals about their MediShield Life premiums and the subsidies they are eligible for will be sent out, starting with those whose policies are due for renewal in November.

Those now insured only by MediShield will receive letters from the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board, while private insurers will send letters to those with Integrated Shield plans. Singaporeans and PRs with serious pre-existing medical conditions and required to pay additional premiums will also be notified individually.

For the group of Singaporeans and PR who are currently uninsured, they will receive letters in October from the CPF with details on MediShield Life coverage, premiums and subsidies.

All households will also be given a booklet in four languages providing the details of the scheme.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the booklet’s launch at ITE College West, Mr Gan said the rollout date of MediShield Life had to take into account several factors including allowing time for insurance companies to inform their policyholders of coverage and premiums, and setting up claims systems at hospitals and healthcare institutions. There was also the need to provide time for Singaporeans to understand the scheme, Mr Gan added.  

The scheme was first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally in 2013. Under the initiative, people with serious pre-existing medical conditions will need to pay 30 per cent additional premiums for 10 years. To identify these individuals, the CPF Board is tapping the existing information in Government databases and medical institutions.

According to the MediShield Life website, some examples of pre-existing conditions that may be subjected to the additional premiums include cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary heart disease, serious heart and liver condition, as well as serious kidney failure that requires dialysis. The full list of conditions has not been released yet. Mr Gan said that while the list will give the public a good reference point, individuals should wait for the letters from the authorities and insurance companies to see if they will be required to pay the additional premiums.

“There will be a list of such conditions but because the conditions will also be subjected to determination assessment of the severity of each of these conditions. … even if you suffer from a heart disease, some may be subjected to the additional premiums, and some may not,” Mr Gan said. “So it’s better for the CPF and insurance companies to inform (policy holders) individually so you are quite specific in whether or not you’ll be subjected to the additional premiums.” 

Those who are currently uninsured and do not wish to have their medical information checked may submit a form available on the CPF Board’s website by Sept 15, but they will be subjected to the additional premiums.  The Ministry of Health said: “As the CPF Board will not be able to ascertain their medical status, the uninsured who decline access to their medical information will have to pay additional premiums, to be fair to the rest of the members who have been assessed and verified to have no serious pre-existing conditions.”

Reiterating that the Government will take a compassionate approach, Mr Gan stressed that subsidies will cover the additional premiums. “We’ll also give time for those who are affected to appeal if they think that their conditions have improved or if they’ve actually recovered from these conditions. And we will take them on a case-by-case basis to assess the impact and we will inform them accordingly,” he said.

WHEN THE LETTERS WILL COME

Those currently uninsured: They will receive a letter in October with details about MediShield Life coverage, premiums and subsidies, including whether they need to pay additional premiums for pre-existing conditions.

Those currently covered by MediShield only:  A month before their plans are up for annual renewal, they will receive a letter from the CPF Board with details about MediShield Life premiums and subsidies. If they have any serious pre-existing medical condition and are required to pay additional premiums, they will receive another letter by October.

Those currently covered by an Integrated Shield Plan:  A month before their plans are up for annual renewal, they will receive a letter from their private insurers with details about their premiums and subsidies for the MediShield Life portion of their Integrated Shield Plan if they are eligible. If they have any serious pre-existing medical condition and are required to pay  additional premiums, they will receive another letter by October.