Extension of Handicapped Child Tax Relief to Parents of Children with Long-Term Chronic Illnesses

Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the Government can extend the tax deductions under the Handicapped Child Relief to parents who have children with long-term chronic illnesses; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider further assistance schemes to help these parents cope with the medical expenses.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Handicapped Child Relief is accorded to the parent when his child is either physically or mentally disabled. A parent whose child has a long-term chronic illness resulting in physical or mental disability will also be able to claim handicapped child relief.

Parents whose children have serious long-term illnesses can seek subsidised treatment at the public hospitals. They can also tap on Medisave and MediShield to help pay for inpatient and selected outpatient treatments like chemotherapy or dialysis.

We are mindful of the financial burden that parents of children with serious long-term illnesses may bear. We encourage those who face financial difficulty with their bills to approach the hospitals' Medical Social Workers for assistance, including direct financial aid from Medifund. Our two specialist children's units in the KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) and the National University Hospital (NUH) also have other schemes that offer additional financial assistance to children with specific needs or conditions. Examples of these include the Ronald McDonald Children's Charity, Kid's Heart Fund and Children's Aid Programme.

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