MediShield Life: Sifting out those with pre-existing conditions

MediShield Life: Sifting out those with pre-existing conditions

SINGAPORE - The MediShield Life Review Committee has suggested that those with pre-existing conditions who are currently not on the MediShield scheme pay 30 per cent higher premiums for the next 10 years ("Most will be able to afford premiums without using cash"; last Friday).

This makes sense in theory but might be difficult to implement.

How do you determine the "unhealthy"?

Does it include only those who have been declined by MediShield previously, or is everyone who is currently not on the MediShield scheme required to make a health declaration?

What kind of health conditions must a person have for him to be considered unhealthy?

Asking the elderly to make health declarations would not be at all feasible.

It would be more practical for the Government to do a top-up to the accumulated MediShield premiums to take care of the projected increased claims from the inclusion of this pool of people with pre-existing conditions.

This can be considered a one-time cost of implementing MediShield Life.

Martin Lee


This article was first published on June 10, 2014.
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