Dennis Tan on cost of living crisis

With a growing ageing population, healthcare costs are a big concern for many, especially seniors who have no income yet face health issues. The current means testing formula based on per capita household income (PCHI) can be further improved to take into account the specifics of an individual’s needs and financial situation, said MP Dennis Tan in Parliament on Tuesday (Nov 7). He gave the example of retired seniors who live with their working adult children but do not receive help from them for medical expenses. Meanwhile, when PCHI is zero, means testing is based on the annual value (AV) of the property that the person lives in. Mr Tan said households with zero PCHI but higher AVs are often those of retirees in their twilight years who need medical treatment but may not want or be able to move out. He also called for more help for adults of working age who have special needs or mental health issues which force them out of employment and necessitate long-term care, especially in families where their parents are elderly. He suggested creating a list of non-critical illnesses such as early-onset dementia, severe autism, Down Syndrome, schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease for which affected families can get more support and subsidies.