MEDIFUND PAID OUT

MEDIFUND PAID OUT

18.

Mr Terry Lee asked the Minister for Health in the last three years (a) what is the amount of the Medifund paid out; (b) how many Singaporeans benefited from the fund; (c) apart from being poor, what are the profiles of Singaporeans who apply for this fund; and (d) what are the types of treatment that Medifund is used for.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: From FY 2007 to FY 2009, about $200 million was paid out from Medifund to help needy patients with their medical bills. A total of one million hospital bills were involved. The number of patients who benefitted from Medifund was less as many had incurred several hospital bills.

For FY 2010, we have stepped up the level of assistance, and we expect to pay out $80 million from Medifund. Medifund ensures that all Singaporeans can afford basic healthcare services. All subsidised Singaporean patients are eligible for Medifund assistance. We have local Medifund Committees of public-spirited volunteers who assess and determine the assistance provided to each case based on merit. The beneficiaries will largely come from the lower-income households, below the 30th percentile of the population. But the Medifund Committees are prepared and have, indeed, helped many who are outside of this income group when they face exceptional circumstances.

Medifund covers subsidised treatment in the public hospitals, community hospitals and nursing homes. Eighty-five percent of the assistance goes towards acute hospitalisation.

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