440,000 pioneers to get letters on Medisave top-ups

SOME 440,000 pioneers will receive letters from the Government this week informing them of the Pioneer Generation Medisave top-ups that they will get next month.

The top-ups range from $200 to $800, and come up to about $202 million in total, said the Ministry of Finance yesterday.

These are in addition to the Medisave top-ups for older Singaporeans under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Voucher scheme, to be disbursed in August. The amounts given depend on a person's age, the annual value of the place of his residence, and the number of properties owned.

For example, someone who is 85 years old this year, lives in a Housing Board flat and does not own a second property, will receive a total of $1,250 in Medisave top-ups this year ($800 from the Pioneer Generation Medisave top-up and $450 from the GST Voucher for Medisave).

Someone who is 71 this year and in similar circumstances will get a total of $650 in Medisave top-ups this year ($400 from the Pioneer Generation Medisave top-up and $250 from the GST Voucher for Medisave).

The letters, to be sent out this week, will also remind pioneers of the special subsidies that are available to them at all Community Health Assist Scheme (Chas) clinics, polyclinics and subsidised specialist outpatient clinics.

Pioneers will also be entitled to special subsidies for Medi- Shield Life premiums when it is introduced later this year.

Said the Finance Ministry: "Together with the Pioneer Generation subsidies and Medisave top-ups, pioneers will pay smaller MediShield Life premiums than they did in previous years, despite the larger benefits that they, like other Singaporeans, will receive under MediShield Life."

Pioneers receive Medisave top-ups of $200 to $800 annually for the rest of their lives, with the amount based on their birth year.

They are also entitled to an additional 50 per cent off the cost of subsidised treatments at polyclinics and specialist outpatient clinics; special subsidies at general practitioner and dental clinics under Chas; and Medi- Shield Life premium subsidies of between 40 per cent and 60 per cent.

Pioneers who have moderate to severe functional disabilities also receive cash of $1,200 a year under the Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance Scheme.

This article was first published on June 15, 2015.
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