Singaporeans to get help with medical bills
PHOTO: Singaporeans to get help with medical bills
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SINGAPORE - In an effort to help Singaporeans cope with medical bills, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced plans to increase subsidies and helplines in the coming years.
MOH will target low-income households and old people with limited Medisave by providing subsidies for outpatient care and medication.
Amongst the slew of measures announced, MediShield will be tweaked to cover more Singaporeans including the very old, the very young with congenital conditions, and those with psychiatric conditions.
ElderShield, a scheme which provides monthly payouts for those unable to care for themselves, will also be enhanced.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong announced that MOH will push for greater transparency of billing and performance to avoid medical inflation.
In his ministry's addendum to the President's Address, Minister Gan said the public health-care infrastructure and manpower will be expanded.
According to a Straits Times report, scholarships will be handed out to tackle the shortage of manpower while qualified Singaporeans studying or working overseas will be encouraged to return to practice here.
More money will be pumped into geriatric medicine, rehabilitation and organ transplants as these areas are predicted to reap benefits in the longer term.
MOH will also look to providers, including charity-based organisations, to deliver care to Singaporeans.