Standard Integrated Shield plan to start in first half of 2016
Patients and nurses at B2 class ward at Changi General Hospital. TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — The standard Integrated Shield plan that will cover stays in Class B1 wards in public hospitals will be introduced in the first half of next year, after MediShield Life kicks in at the end of this year, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong announced yesterday.
This is to give Singaporeans time to first focus on MediShield Life — the insurance scheme replacing MediShield that will cover all Singaporeans for life for large hospital bills — and understand changes resulting from it.
The Government had announced last year it would work with private insurers to develop an Integrated Shield plan with aligned benefits based on coverage at B1 wards, and Members of Parliament Chia Shi-Lu (Tanjong Pagar GRC) and Ang Wei Neng (Jurong GRC) had sought updates yesterday at the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) Committee of Supply debate.
Medisave withdrawal limits for these Shield plans will also change, said Mr Gan. Current Medisave withdrawal limits apply to the total Integrated Shield premium, which combines premiums for MediShield and additional private insurance coverage. He said Singaporeans are unaware of the amount of Medisave going towards MediShield premiums, and the amount going to the private insurance components.
Under the change, there will be no limits set for what can be used to pay for MediShield Life premiums, but an Additional Withdrawal Limit will be set for what can be used to pay for additional private insurance component. Details on the new Additional Withdrawal Limits will be released later this year.
The Government will strike a balance between helping Singaporeans to pay for their Integrated Shield premiums using Medisave, and ensuring they have enough Medisave for other healthcare needs, said Mr Gan.
“With MediShield Life, we will give Singaporeans more certainty, by ensuring that Medisave will always be allowed to cover the net MediShield Life premiums after additional premiums, if any, and subsidies. There is therefore no need to set a limit for this component,” he said.
To help policyholders make informed purchases of Integrated Shield plans, the MOH is working with the Monetary Authority of Singapore to ensure insurers present their products transparently and accurately, he added.
In a few months’ time, the MOH will send out letters on what is needed to receive the right level of MediShield Life premium subsidies targeted at the lower- to middle-income.
While existing information in government databases will be used to compute the subsidies, Singaporeans will need to confirm their household information. For now, they can ensure the addresses on their identity cards are up-to-date. Premium subsidies for the lower- and middle-income are different from the Pioneer Generation Package and transitional subsidies that will be given automatically to pioneers and citizens, irrespective of income and wealth, Mr Gan said.
