Extension of Medisave and Community Health Assist Scheme Coverage to Treatment of Epilepsy

Ms Foo Mee Har asked the Minister for Health whether long-term treatment of epilepsy can be covered under the subsidy scheme provided under the enhanced Medisave and Community Health Assist Scheme.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: Patients with any of the 10 conditions under the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) can tap on Medisave to pay for their treatments. In addition, those who qualify for CHAS can receive subsidised care at GP clinics.

Five more conditions will be added to CDMP from 1 January 2014 and these are anxiety, osteoarthritis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), nephritis/nephrosis and Parkinson’s disease.

We will consider the possible inclusion of more chronic conditions, including conditions such as epilepsy, into CDMP as we continue to review the expansion of Medisave use. Meanwhile, patients who require treatment for epilepsy will continue to enjoy subsidies at the polyclinics.