Pioneers, look out for letters on Medisave top-ups this week

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

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

The Pioneer Generation Medisave top-ups come on top of the Medisave top-ups for older Singaporeans under the GST Voucher Scheme - which is dependent on a person's age, annual value of place of residence, and the number of properties owned - that will be disbursed in August.

For example, an older pioneer who is 85 this year, and who 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. This comprises $800 from the Pioneer Generation Medisave top-up and $450 from the GST Voucher - Medisave.

A younger pioneer who is 71 this year and in similar circumstances will receive a total of $650 in Medisave top-ups this year, comprising $400 from the Pioneer Generation Medisave top-up and $250 from the GST Voucher - Medisave.

The letters sent out this week will also remind pioneers of the special subsidies 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 premiums of MediShield Life, when it is introduced later this year.

Said the MOF: "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."

Under the Pioneer Generation Package, pioneers will receive Medisave top-ups of $200 to $800 annually for the rest of their life, with the amount based on their birth year.

Pioneers are also entitled to an additional 50 per cent off subsidised treatments at polyclinics and specialist outpatient clinics; special subsidies at general practitioners and dental clinics under Chas; and MediShield Life premium subsidies of between 40 and 60 per cent.

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

amirh@sph.com.sg

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